Visva-Bharati Digital Library

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Disability Support Services

 

Disability support services provide essential assistance to individuals with physical, intellectual, or sensory disabilities, fostering independence and inclusion. Key services include personal care, housing support, employment assistance, mobility aids, and educational accommodations. These services are designed to increase accessibility and quality of life.

 

Braille Library

Braille Library

Braille Library is an important service offered by the VBLN library. The Braille Unit at Visva-Bharati was started in August 2012 at Central Library, and its other unit has also been started at Vinay Bhavana Library (Institute of Education Library) since February 2014. In the beginning, there were only 5 Braille students, but presently, we have more than 30 Braille students in different subjects and in other courses like Undergraduate, Postgraduate, B.Ed., Ph.D., etc. It helps users provide specialized services devoted to the reading needs of the visually impaired and cultivates reading habits among them.

 

 

Software and Hardware available in the Braille Unit:-

  • Supernova: It is commercial software and has two functions. One is Desktop Reader. This reader can read out all the actions that take place on the desktop like ‘save’, ‘delete,’ ‘desktop icon’, ‘start’ etc. Another is Write-Read. Through this, it can read back what you type and also any text file line by line. It also assists in browsing the Internet as it can speak about.
  • NVDA: It is a software (Open Access Software) having all the features of Supernova. We have five computers with NVDA enabled.
  • Readit Wand: This unit has a scanner-cum-reading machine. If users put any documents under the scanner and press enter, it will scan the whole page and starts reading. The scanned documents can also be saved into various file formats, likewise PDF, Word, Text, and MP3. According to the convenience of the user, the voice, volume, and pace of reading may be changed. There is also an option for a person having low vision to magnify the screen and convert the color of the screen background and text.
  • NVDA & Braille Embosser: NVDA is software to open a file (containing printable matter) to convert into Braille format. Braille Embosser is hardware (printer) that can print a file in Braille. It has the facility to print/emboss on both sides of a page simultaneously.
  • Kibo - Inclusive Education for Blind: Kibo is an end-to-end solution to empower blind and visually-impaired students towards inclusive education by enabling them to Listen, Translate, Digitize & Audio'tize™ printed, handwritten and even scanned, digital documents across 60 global languages (More).

Additional Facilities / Devices:-

  • Talking Typing: This device helps new users practice typing and the operation of computers.
  • Daisy Book Reader: It is a small portable device (like a Kindle for e-book reading) that can read any file (PDF, Word, Text, doc, audio, and video). This device can also do voice recording in any language. This reader also has FM radio with a direct recording facility.
  • Adjustable High-Power Optical Lens Spectacles: This spectacle has two layers of the lens which can be adjusted according to one’s visibility requirements. It is helpful for the persons having low visibility.
  • Special Keyboards: This is an exceptional keyboard with comparatively large font and fluorescent yellow-colored keys to enhance visibility. It is also helpful for the persons having low visibility.
  • Magnifier Mouse: It is helpful for persons having low visibility. The magnifier has a camera, and when it scrolls over the text, it magnifies the document's current position on the screen, and hence users can read the enlarged text very quickly.
  • Seika Cell Braille Display: This is also a small portable device (like a mathematical instrument box) that helps to read texts that appear on the computer screen as Braille and have the option to stop in any line and correct the spellings on the text.
  • BAT (Single Hand Keyboard): This compact input device performs all the functions just like the full-size keyboard, and it is operated by one hand. It is an ultimate typing solution for persons having physical or visual impairments.
  • Foot Mouse (Slipper Mouse) with Programmable Paddle: It is conducive to persons with physical impairment as not having both hands. It has all the features and functions of a regular mouse, only the difference in its mode of operation because it is operated by foot.

Audio recording: Considering the requirements of the disabled students’ books in the Bengali Language library is taking care to convert the books into audio form. The work of voice recording has been done by the current students and well-wishers of Visva-Bharati or others willing to do the job voluntarily.

 

Another unit of the Braille Library is functional at the Vinaya Bhavana Library.

 

 

Special Toilets

Special Toilets

Special Toilets (Gents & Ladies): Annex Building at Periodical Section

 

 

 

Accessible Signage

Accessible Signage

Accessible Signage: Braille is also required on signage that helps to identify various sections, facilities, and directions, especially for emergency doors and exits.

 

 

 

Ramps

Ramps

Ramps: It is a sloping surface that connects two levels of height. Ramps are built at the entrance of the main building and both sides of the annex building so that physically challenged users can easily enter the library by wheelchair (Visva-Bharati, 2019).

 

Wheelchair

Wheelchair

Wheelchair: Libraries are required to be accessible to wheelchair users, providing barrier-free access, including automatic doors, wide aisles, and reachable shelves.

 

 

Vinaya Bhavana Library

 

The emergence of Vinaya Bhavana as a Department of Education in Visva-Bharati occurred in 1947. Vinaya Bhavana Library came into existence in 1948 as a Sectional Library for Vinaya Bhavana in order to provide library and information services for study and research on education ( including physical education). Presently this library stands for dissemination of information through books, journals, periodicals, newspapers, magazines, dissertations, including e-documents like e-books, e-journals, CD, DVD etc. to the scholars, students, staff members and academic faculties of the departments both Department of Education and Department of Physical Education of Vinaya Bhavana, Institute of Education, Visva-Bharati.

Users of Vinaya Bhavana Library are enjoying Internet search through Wi-Fi connectivity. Personal laptops are allowed in Reading Room for academic and research use. Forty (40) readers can be accommodated at a time in the Reading Room. Three computers have been provided for OPAC and internet searching and browsing

Library Area: 45 square metres

Library Collection:

Books: 20,724+

Print Journals: 16

Dissertation Papers: 610 (Education: 586 & Physical Education: 24)

CDs/DVDs: 34

Newspapers: 05

Magazines: 05

Online Databases:

Blackwell - Wiley

Emerald

J-Gate

JSTOR

Project Muse

Science Direct

Springer Link

Taylor and Francis

Open Access e-Resources:

Digital Library of India

Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)

Directory of Open Access Books (DOAB)

Shodhganga

 

Library Users: Students, Research Scholars, Staffs of Visva-Bharati are the normal users of Library. Outsiders can use this library with special permission.

 

Library Services:

  • Reference Service

 

  • Internet Service

  • Wi-Fi Service

  • Braille Library

 

Library Hours:

All days except weekly holidays: 9.30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Weekly Holidays: Wednesday and Sunday

 

Visva-Bharati Library Network: The Library is part of the Visva-Bharati Library Network and is connected to the Central Library through the campus wide MHRD Wifi. The services that are available to the users through this network are:

  1. Union catalogue of documents of all libraries in the network (WebOPAC: https://vbu-opac.kohacloud.in/),

  2. Integrated automation through Koha software,

  3. Access to digital, electronic resources like online journals & databases, e-books, digitised books, theses

  4. Information services like Newspaper Clipping, CAS, Scholarship update, New Arrivals, Institutional Repository consisting of syllabuses and question papers, IT-enabled services like access to plagiarism detection software (Urkund: http://www.urkund.com ), Single Window Search Engine (Discovery Service: https://vbu-opac.kohacloud.in/), Web of Science, JGate+, EndNote etc 

  1. Library Website: Gateway to everything about the Library: https://vblibrarynetwork.in/index.php

  2. Inter - Library Loan System (DELNET)

  3. Braille Library Service

  4. Network e-Newsletter

 

Siksha Bhavana Library

 

Introduction

Rabindranath Tagore’s interest in Science can be reiterated with his great remark One thing is certain, that all-embracing poverty which has overwhelmed our country cannot be removed by working with our hands to the neglect of Science- Rabindranath Tagore, 1925.

 

Siksha Bhavana Library

In the year 1972, all the science departments, teaching undergraduate and postgraduate courses, were brought under Siksha-Bhavana, which is now known as Institute of Science. Prof Dipankar Chatterjee, Adhyaksha of Siksha-Bhavana mooted a proposal for a separate Vigyan-Bhavana Library during 1970’s. The library building completed towards the end of 1989 started functioning from April 1990. Eventually, in the year 2014 Siksha-Bhavana library shifted to the new Integrated Science building. Total area of Siksha-Bhavana library is now approx.450 sq. meter. At present library caters to the Faculty members, Research Scholars and Students of both UG and PG for the following 10 departments in addition to Visva-Bharati community in general. The departments are: Department of Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Zoology, Botany, Statistics, Computer & System Sciences, Environment Studies, Biotechnology and Integrated Science Education & Research.

The Siksha-Bhavana Library is enabled with a large stack area accommodating around 17,000 books. The books are classified according to the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) 23rd edition with extreme care to the subject matter. Recently purchased books are being updated on a day-to-day basis with details through Library Management Software Koha. The edition and updating activities are in progress. 

 

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Resources

The total number of print books crossed 16,856 during this time apart from considerable increase in the E- resources. To strengthen the print collection of the library Prof. Prasanta Chatterjee, Head, Mathematics and Prof. Pranab Sarkar, Co-ordinator-SAP-Chemistry transferred their project books to the Bhavana Library. The Siksha-Bhavana also subscribes to a large number of English and vernacular magazines and weeklies, apart from academic journals. Four newspapers in English and Bengali languages are subscribed to at the Siksha-Bhavana Library.

Printed Books

e-Books

Print Journals

Online Journal

Theses

16,856

1,045 (approx)

50

4,980

Biotechnology(29), Botany (236),Chemistry (552), Engineering(354),Geology (68), Mathematics (417),Medical (452), Physics (434),Technology (252), Zoology (156), … and many

557

Biotechnology (7), Botany (115), Chemistry (126), Computer Sc.(1),Environmental Sc. (9), Integrated Sc.(2), Mathematics (59), Physics (71),Statistics (3), Zoology (164)

 

Facilities

The Siksha-Bhavana Library has its own Sub-Lan consisting of six (6) terminals, with Network Connection. Three (3) PCs are exclusively earmarked for the users for browsing e-resources. Photocopying facility is also made avaialable. Internet facility is open only for the regular members of the university and library. In additions to the three terminals, users are free to carry their laptops/notebooks/tablets to browse e-resources as library is Wi-Fi enabled so as to support their academic and research activities. 

Services

The Library is open from 9.30 am to 6 pm on all weekdays. The services provided are varied as given below:

  • Book borrowing (mainly by Bhavana Students, Research Scholars, Staff and Faculty Members- Fully automated). Now, migrated to the new computerized circulation system through Koha

  • Display of New Arrivals (Books, Journals, Newspapers and library e-newsletter).

  • Syllabus & old question papers.

  • Temporary membership.

  • Photocopying Services on demand.

 

Visva-Bharati Library Network

The Library is part of the Visva-Bharati Library Network and is connected to the Central Library through the campus wide MHRD WiFi. The services that are available to the users through this network are:

  • Union catalogue of documents of all libraries in the network (WebOPAC: https://vbu.lsdiscovery.in/home/dashboard),

  • Integrated automation through Koha software,

  • Access to digital, electronic resources like online journals & databases, e-books, digitized books, theses,

  • Information services like Newspaper Clipping, CAS, Scholarship update, New Arrivals, Institutional Repository consisting of syllabuses and question papers, IT-enabled services like access to plagiarism detection software (Urkund: http://www.urkund.com), Single Window Search Engine (Discovery Service: https://vbu.lsdiscovery.in/home/dashboard), Web of Science, JGate+, EndNote etc

  • Library Website: Gateway to everything about the Library: https://vblibrarynetwork.in/index.php

  • Inter - Library Loan System (DELNET)

  • Braille Library Service

  • Library Network e-Newsletter

 

Future Plans

The Library is on the high road of an unwavering growth and expansion. Some of the plans for the immediate future are listed below:

  • Development of library collections- books and journals

  • More computers for increasing usage of e-resources as well as OPAC search.

  • Introduction of in-house binding facilities

  • Increasing library service hours for users

  • Air-conditioning and captivating interior with more space and fitting furniture for reading area.

  • Merging collections of departmental libraries with the Bhavana Library in the light of the comments made by NAAC peer team during their visit in 2015 as there is no need to maintain parallel seminar library as Bhavana Library is here.

The Siksha-Bhavana Library is now crossing its infancy and gradually progressing with a commitment to become a world class Science institute library. 

  

Siksha Satra Library

 

Siksha-Satra, established in 1924 in Santiniketan, and later shifted to Sriniketan (1927), caters to the children of villages deprived of opportunities of any form of education due to lack of facilities or poverty. That India lives in her villages and that it is impossible to maintain the organic health by enriching urban centres and neglecting rural India was the enduring truth which Tagore tried relentlessly to establish. Towards the upliftment of the rural people through education and development of self-reliance, Tagore devoted himself and directed his efforts. Tagore was conscious of the difference in needs of the rural and urban people and imaginatively developed curricula for such needs.

 

Siksha-Satra provides an atmosphere of openness of nature in which lessons are imparted in keeping with the syllabus shared with Patha-Bhavana. It also provides a large spectrum of work education subjects like Modeling, Woodwork, Weaving, Electrical Servicing and Maintenance, Horticulture, Artistic Handicraft and Drawing & Painting. Other student activities are the meetings of the literary forum (Sahitya Sabha), Sports and Games, N.C.C., N.S.S., excursions and participation in the University festivals.

Siksha-Satra was a residential school with facilities for day-scholars up to 1975. It is, at present, a non-residential school.

 

Area of Library:

Stack Room : 23 X 20 Ft.

Reading Room: 20 X 15 & 18 X 20 Ft.

Seating Capacity: 20 seats for Students & 10 for teachers

 

Library Collection: As on 31st March 2014

Books: 24847

Current Journals: 24

Newspapers : 9 

 

Library Users: Students, teachers and staffs of Visva-Bharati are the normal users of Library.

 

Academic Service: The Siksha Satra Library organises the Library Science course (vocational) of the pre-degree students.

 

Library Services:

 

Library Hours:

All days except weekly holidays (Wednesday & Sunday):

Day time: 9.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.

Morning time: 6.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. 

 

Important Links:

 

West Bengal Board of Secondary Education

NCERT-Online books 

Books & Support Material----CBSE 

 

Visva-Bharati Library Network: The Library is part of the Visva-Bharati Library Network and is connected to the Central Library through the campus wide MHRD Wifi. The services that are available to the users through this network are:

  1. Union catalogue of documents of all libraries in the network (WebOPAC: https://vbu.lsdiscovery.in/home/dashboard),

  2. Integrated automation through Koha software,

  3. Access to digital, electronic resources like online journals & databases, e-books, digitised books, theses

  4. Information services like Newspaper Clipping, CAS, Scholarship update, New Arrivals, Institutional Repository consisting of syllabuses and question papers, IT-enabled services like access to plagiarism detection software (Urkund: http://www.urkund.com ), Single Window Search Engine (Discovery Service: https://vbu.lsdiscovery.in/home/dashboard), Web of Science, JGate+, EndNote etc 

  1. Library Website: Gateway to everything about the Library: https://vblibrarynetwork.in/index.php

  2. Inter - Library Loan System (DELNET)

  3. Braille Library Service

  4. Network e-Newsletter

 

Rabindra Bhavana Library

 

Rabindra-Bhavana situated in Uttaryana Complex was established in 1942 by the poet’s son Rathindranath Tagore as a memorial museum and research centre for Tagore studies. By the early 70s of the last century, the various activities of Rabindra-Bhavana gradually began to be organised into its different sections.

Rabindra-Bhavana Library is one of the most important units of Rabindra-Bhavana, Visva-Bharati. It is a special library. This library mainly serves the requirements of the Tagore Researchers from all over the world. It includes the personal library of Rabindranath, different editions of the poet’s works, Tagore’s books translated in different Indian and foreign languages and books written by the Tagore scholars on his life and works at different points of time. This library also has a newspaper clipping collection from 1912 to date and a valuable Pamphlets file collection.

Access to the Library: It’s a Reference Library and, hence, the documents have to be consulted within the Library during the working hours.

Permission for use of Library and Archive (separate applications required) a) Short term: Submit the filled up prescribed form along with an introductory letter from eminent scholars/head of departments/ guides etc, b) Long term: Submit the filled up prescribed form with an introductory letter from eminent

scholars/head of departments/ guides etc attaching 2 passport size photos. They will be issued a Library Card (extendable) for use both at Library and Archive.

How to obtain books: Fill up the requisition form by consulting the catalogue cards (Maximum of 4documents are issued at a time for consultation at the Reading Area).

 

Area of Library:

Stack Room : 508.365 Sq.m

Reading Room: 106.652 Sq.m

Seating Capacity: 16 seats for Scholars

 

Special Collections:

  1. Pulinbehari Sen

  2. Probodh Chandra Sen

  3. Santidev Ghosh

  4. S. Khastogi

 

Library Collection: As on 15th November 2014

Books: 47830

Journals: 13474

Newspapers: 9 (Bengali-6 & English-3)

       E-Resources: 90000 including e-books, e-journals, e-database, etc.

 

Writings of and on Rabindranath Tagore are available from this sources.



Online Journal (UGC-Infonet)

1. Down to Earth (Password Based Access)

2. Economic & Political Weekly

3. J-CCC : (Database)

4. J-STOR

5. Oxford University Press

Open Access Digital Repository: Digital Library of India: http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/

Library Users: Students, Research Scholars, Teachers, Staffs of Visva-Bharati are the normal users of Library. Outsiders can use this library with special permission.

 

Library Services:

  • Reference Service

  • E-content services

  • On-line Public Access Catalogue (http://14.139.211.2:8380/opac/)

  • Bibliographic Services

  • Reprographic Services

  • Access of E-Journals

  • Newspaper cliping

 

Library Hours: Friday to Tuesday: 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.

 

Visva-Bharati Library Network: The Library is part of the Visva-Bharati Library Network and is connected to the Central Library through the campus wide MHRD Wifi. The services that are available to the users through this network are:

  1. Union catalogue of documents of all libraries in the network (WebOPAC: https://vbu.lsdiscovery.in/home/dashboard),

  2. Integrated automation through Koha software,

  3. Access to digital, electronic resources like online journals & databases, e-books, digitised books, theses

  4. Information services like Newspaper Clipping, CAS, Scholarship update, New Arrivals, Institutional Repository consisting of syllabuses and question papers, IT-enabled services like access to plagiarism detection software (Urkund: http://www.urkund.com ), Single Window Search Engine (Discovery Service: https://vbu.lsdiscovery.in/home/dashboard), Web of Science, JGate+, EndNote etc 

  1. Library Website: Gateway to everything about the Library: https://vblibrarynetwork.in/index.php

  2. Inter - Library Loan System (DELNET)

  3. Braille Library Service

  4. Network e-Newsletter

  1. Palli Samganthan Vibhavaga Library
  2. Palli Siksha Bhavana Library
  3. Screen Reader Access
  4. Patha Bhavana Library
   
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