This document summarizes a presentation given at a national conference on the role of public libraries in providing ICT-enabled services, using the Birchandra State Central Library in Agartala, Tripura, India as a case study. The presentation outlined the library's services, collections, and membership details. It was found that while the library provides some digital services like Wi-Fi access and a cyber cafe, it has not fully automated and does not have a digital collection. Recommendations included completing automation, adding more electronic resources, using social media for outreach, and providing more training to transform the library into a "smart library."

1. National Conference Presentation
Role of Public Library in ICT enabled rendering services with special
reference to Birchandra State Central Library in Agartala.
Bikram Majumder
MLISc 1st Semester ,DLIS, Tripura University, Agartala
bikrammajumder2015@gmail.com
Surendra Kumar Pal
Assistant Librarian, Central Libraary, Tripura University, Agartala
skpdlis@gmail.com
Dr. R.K. Mahapatra
Associate Professor & Head, DLIS, Tripura University, Agartala,
dr.rkmahapatra@gmail.com

2. Outline of the Presentation
• Introduction.
• Role & Functions of Public Library.
• Role of ICT in Libraries.
• Objectives, Scope & Methodology
• About Birchandra State Central Library.
• Findings
• Conclusion
• Acknowledgement

3. Introduction
A public library is a library that is accessible by the general public and is generally funded
from public sources, such as taxes.
A public library is an organization for continuing education. A peoples’ University.
Public Library supports for the civil and cultural activities of the community.
Public libraries are distinct from research libraries, school libraries, and other special
libraries in that their mandate is to serve the general public's information needs rather than the
needs of a particular school, institution, or research population.

4. Cont..
 There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries. The first is
that they are generally supported by taxes (usually local, though any level of
government can and may contribute);
o they are governed by a Board to serve the public interest;
o they are open to all, and every community member can access the collection;
o they are entirely voluntary in that no one is ever forced to use the services
provided; and
o they provide basic services without charge.
 Tripura is a state in North-East India. It is the third smallest state in India having
total area 10,491 sq. Km, population of 3.671 million (2011) and with the literacy
rate 97.22%.

5. Role & Functions of Public Library
• The society is of multi-lingual and multi-cultural in nature. In
such type of society a sense of respect and regard for other
linguistic and cultural groups is essential to strengthen the
cultural unity in diversity.

6. Cont..
• Access to Tools of Information and Education.
• Instrumental in Informal Self-Education.
• To Promote Cultural and Social Activities.
• Preservation of Local, Regional, National Resources.
• Strengthening of Democratic Spirit

7. 2. Literature Reviewed
 Jeena (2012) has enlighten the status of public Libraries in Tripura are confronting with many
problems due to lack of physical, human and financial constraints as a result of which libraries are
not capable to provide effective and efficient services. This lacuna can only be overcome by
imparting modernization in the Libraries of Tripura under the changing information scenario and
requires a drastic change to keep tune with other developed Library systems in India.
 Deshpande (2000) studied about the significance of public libraries in developing countries and has
coined the prominent characteristics of a public library services. According to him, the services
which can be offered to the public are educating the illiterates, providing information services to the
women and children, education classes for adult, providing information to farmers etc.
 Okiy (2003) in his paper has stated that rural development is a basis for economic development and
information is an important ingredient in development process .
 Nwalo (2003) said that, the collections carried by mobile libraries reflect the requests previously
made and the perceived need of the local communities where there are service stations
 Wani (2008) stated that in a nation approximately 40 percent of the total population is living below
the poverty line. So, a huge investment in public libraries is needed to make them true information
resource centers.

8. Significance of the Study
The main significance of the study is to point out the drawbacks of the library and to over
come them to provide better services through ICT to users.
Objectives
The main objective of the present study is to find out the ICT enabled Services offered by
the Birchadra State Central Library to the local community.
Scope and Limitations
Restricted to only the ICT based resources & services offered by Birchadra State Central
Library in Agartala, Tripura.
Methodology
The data collected through interview along with observation tools by visiting the library,
then analyzed and represented the data in tabular format with help of simple statistical
measures.

9. About Birchadra State Central Library
• Birchandra State Central Library, Agartala is the apex Library of the Public
Library system in Tripura.
• Birchandra State Central Library, Agartala established in 1896 during the dynasty
period of Maharaja Bir Chandra Manikya (1862-1896) originally made an
attempt to establish a good library in the Palace for the members of the Royal
Family.

10. Cont..
• In 1896, the English collections was kept in the Palace Library while the
vernacular section was shifted to a separate house and the library was thrown
open to the general public for their use.
• The name of the Library was Bir Chandra Library which was named by the
King Maharaja Radhakishore Manikya to show honour to his departed father
Maharaja Bir Chandra Manikya.
• After several shifting the library, In the year 1926 it was housed in the new
constructed building at V.M. Chowmohny (Presently I.G.M Chowmohny) at the
north west corner of Umakanta Academy.
• The Library was kept open for the public for 4 hours daily-two hours in the
morning and two hours in the evening.
• On 21st January 2010 Birchandra State Central Library was again shifted to its
new location at Old Secretariat Building where the Library is establishing with its
modern wings, and the modernisation work of this Library is going on with full
efforts.

11. Library Membership & Privileges
• To get library membership of the library a person shall deposit minimum Rs.50/-
as security amount and maximum is unlimited(as per the book cost) which is
refundable.
Book Lending Privilege
General Members Each person 4 books for 20 days
Senior Citizen & Women Each person 5 books for 28 days
Overdue Fine charges is Rs.0.50 Paisa per book per day.
*The value of the issued books should be 10% less from the
security deposited.
Members Details Total Nos.
All Members Male = 9601
Female = 4116
13717
Senior Citizen Male = 213
Female = 11
224
Children's 1100 1100
Physical Challenged 64 64
Library remains open from 8:00AM to
8:00PM on everyday except Monday
with the help of 38 library staffs.

12. Library Resource Collections
Resources Total No.
Print Books 2,34,141
Print Periodicals & Magazine 51
Newspapers (National, regional, Local) 47
Audio Books (In Braille Section) 1,366
Online Resources (E-Books, Journals &
Database)
Not Subscribed

13. Library Sections
• Acquisition
• Lending Section
• Reprography
• Career Guidance Section
• Children's Corner
• Digital Library of Tripura
• Other Important Sections like Braille Section, Senior Citizen
Section, Reading Section, etc.

14. Library Services & Facilities
• Children Corner
• Newspaper Reading Room
• Reference Reading Room
• Hindi Service
• Cyber Cafe
• Physically Challenged Corner
• Digital Library
• Reading Room
• Braille Section
• Lending
• Reprography
• Career Guidance Section
• Digital Library of Tripura
• Women reading Section

15. Findings
ICT ENABLED RENDERING SERVICES.
Birchandra State Central Library is not fully Automated yet, so it can’t provide the
OPAC facility to the users.
Birchandra State Central Library Rare books, copyright free books, other regional
books is not fully digitised yet due to this Digital Library is not functional yet.
Birchandra State Central Library is not preserve e-resource in library Collection
Yes, all Library user can use Wi-Fi or internet. (NICNET, NKN)
Yes, BCSCL is conducting information literacy program like as wi-fi training,
cyber program, etc.

16. Cont..
 Yes, BCSCL have multimedia collection like CD, Audio Book, Brill Book etc is
available for Disable Person and Children for play game, listening etc.
 NIC Protocol restrict to use Social Media. Due to this BCSCL don’t use facebook
page, blog, wikis, forecasting etc.

17. Suggestions
 Being State Central Library, BCSCL should procure more no of print and electronic resources as
also Agartala populations itself is 438,408 (2013).
 Library is using manual system yet, BCSCL has to complete the automation first as urgent need of
the hour, so that it can provide the facility to the users to make a search from their computers or
mobile devise.
 BCSCL shall take initiative to start Email Communication like reminder for returns of the books
to its users.
 Library must conduct different outreach programme to make aware about the library and its
services to attract them towards the library. Library can launch its mobile application for mobile
users
 BCSCL should use the Social Media like wiki page, facebook page, blogs, where it can branding
& advertising its own services, events details etc.
 Library should organize more nos. of Information literacy programme in different location of the
state. They should provide different library extension services and organized many more events to
interact its users. .

18. Conclusions:
 BCSCL is providing few ICT based service like library web page, cyber Café,
Wi-Fi to its users but still its lagging behind in this ICT era. Still they are
using manual system.
 Although number of collections is good but still it should add more nos. of
print & electronic resources along with implementation of more ICT based
services to its users.
 Library is having Braille Section for Physically challeged users , this service
makes this library unique in services.
 Recommended that the library authority must look after that matter to make
this library as smart library.

19. Acknowledgement
We acknowledge with the great thankful to Sri Subi Ch.
Debbarma, Head Librarian, and library staffs of Birchandra
State Central Library, Agartala for sharing, discussing &
providing the facts to us during the course of this research
study.

21. Questions ?