ABOUT DEPARTMENT OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE

Historical Background of the Department : Quite conscious of the growing requirements of its users, the Aligarh Muslim University built a modern multi-storied building of Maulana Azad Library that was inaugurated in 1960 by Late Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India. The library which once started with a small personal stock of few hundred books of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, the founder of this great seat of learning and which came to be known as the Lytton Library of the M.A.O. College in 1877, has now grown into a mammoth collection of about 15 lac printed and E Books. It is now regarded as the second biggest University Library of the Indian sub-continent. However, the foundation of the Department of Library Science was laid way back in 1950-51 with the introduction of a 'Certificate Course in Library Science,' by the then University Librarian, Late Prof. S. Bashiruddin. The course proved so popular that after a few years, the University decided to run two courses a year. Encouraged by the success of the certificate course, Late Prof. S. Bashiruddin introduced 'Bachelor of Library Science' in 1958-59 with full time Lecturers for the first time in the country. The Certificate course was discontinued in 1968-69. Subsequently, 'Master of Library Science' was introduced in 1970-71. Another pioneering step taken by the Department in the year 1986-87 was the introduction of Library Science as a subsidiary subject at B.A. level in the Faculties of Arts and Social Sciences. Realizing the need and importance of research in the subject, the Department started M.Phil. /Ph.D. programme since 1990-91. Meanwhile the department shifted from the rear portion of Maulana Azad Library to the present building in Kennedy Hall Complex in 1995. In line with the UGC's model curriculum (2001), the syllabi of the courses offered by the department have been thoroughly revised and introduced from the session 2003-2004. A special feature of the revised syllabi is the emphasis on Information Technology and hands-on training on a number of library automation software packages. A well-equipped computer lab supports the revised syllabi with Internet facility. The seminar library of the department is the first fully automated library of the university. It is characterized by the facilities such as Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC), circulation through barcodes, access to online journals and a CD workstation. A portion of the library has been glass partitioned to provide services through exclusively devoted terminals. The teachers of the department have also received training in Information Technology within the country and also abroad.

[Source: AMU.AC.IN]

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