1832;191years ago(1832) (as Publica Livraria, Academia Militar de Goa) 1870;153years ago(1870) (as Biblotheca Publica da Nova Goa) 1897;126years ago(1897) (as Bibliotheca Nacional de Nova Goa)
Krishnadas Shama Goa State Central Library is the main library in the State of Goa, India. It is located in Panjim (Panaji) and its website claims that it is the first public library to be set up across India, in the early 1830s.
According to its official site, it is "the oldest Public Library in India," having been inaugurated on 15 September 1832 by the Portuguese Viceroy of Goa, Dom Manuel de Portugal e Castro. It was known then as the Publica Livraria of the Academia Militar de Goa (Military Training Institute). In 1834, the Portuguese government ordered the "suppression" of certain religious orders. The book collections of various convents belonging to these religious orders were transferred to the library, augmenting the repository considerably. In 1836, the name was changed to Bibliotheca Pública and it was thrown open to the public.
In 1836 itself, the library was shifted to premises where the Municipal proceedings were held. In 1870, it was named as the Biblotheca Publica da Nova Goa.[1] In February 1897, the library was raised to the status of a National Library and renamed as Bibliotheca Nacional de Nova Goa. Later it was renamed as the Bibliotheca National Vasco da Gama.[1]
By a decree dated 18 March 1956, the Privilege of Deposited Legal was made applicable to this library, making it entitled to receive, free of cost, copies of all publications from Portugal and her overseas colonies.[1] After functioning as an annex of the institute, it was open for about 35 years. Kakodkar says that from September 1959, the library was put under the direct administrative control of the Services de Instruccao e Saude (Education and Health Services).[1]
In the past, the library's collection consisted mainly of books in Portuguese, French, Spanish, Latin, English.[1] A catalogue of the library was printed in 1907. Later, a card catalogue of the author, title and cross-reference were prepared.
From Portugal, overseas "provinces"
In March 1925 it became part of the Instituto Vasco da Gama, an academic-cultural institution, and was renamed as the Biblioteca Nacional Vasco da Gama. By Decree Law 38684 of 18 March 1952, the Deposito Legal (Delivery Act) was made applicable to this library, according to its official website.
Resultantly, the library received all publications from Portugal and her overseas Provinces. From September 1959, the Bibliotheca was separated from the Institute and placed under the administrative control of Servicos de Instruccao e Saude (Education and Health Services) and renamed as Biblioteca Nacional de Goa.
On the completion of its 175th year, a first-day postal cover was released by the Government of India's Department of Posts.[1]
After the end of Portuguese rule in Goa in 1961, the library was renamed as the Central Library, and its activities expanded with lending, reference and special services for children.[1] It build up its collection in English, Marathi, Hindi, Konkani and languages like Bengali and Urdu.
Its local history and rare book collection today includes titles from the 16th and 17th centuries, manuscripts and imprints, books on the history and culture of Goa, including Indo-Portuguese history, bound volumes of local journals and newspapers and books received under the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867.[1]
Under the Government of India's Registration of Books Act, 1956, the Central Library is the copyright library of Goa and the publisher of every book published in Goa must send three copies of the same to this library. The Central Library compiles and publishes its annual bibliography of Goa-published books in the Official Gazette of Goa.[1]
Today, the Central Library is the State apex public library. It has under the control of its Directorate of Arts & Culture some seven taluka (sub-district) libraries, besides 121 government village libraries, panchayat and non-government organisation-run libraries currently functioning in Goa.[1]
Collection
Its pre-1961 (Portuguese Goa) collection consists mainly of books and journals in Portuguese, French, Latin, English and a few books in local languages like Konkani and Marathi. Some 40,000 volumes date back to the pre-1961 era.
Among other valuable texts, the Library holds incomplete collections of nineteenth and early twentieth century newspapers in Marathi, Konkani, English and Portuguese, published from Goa and from Bombay. Many of these are in a state of advanced disrepair.
The library used to be the repository institution for Mozambique, and for other Portuguese colonies in Africa until the 18th century. There are educational reports and other official publications regarding Africa in the library. A professional catalogue for these collections can be accessed from the website of the University of Aveiro, Portugal under the collection Memorias de Africa.
According to the Citizen's Charter[2] of the Directorate of Arts and Culture, "The State Central library is one of the oldest library in India is open for all readers irrespective of class, creed or nationality. The collection is available for reference in [the] Rare and Goan History Section and Reference Section ... the Lending Section... the Newspaper and Magazine Section..."
The State Central Library has a more than 180,000 book collection,[2] in different languages like English, Hindi, Marathi, Konkani, Portuguese, since 1832. About 15,00,000 pages of rare books, official gazettes and newspapers are available in electronic format (microfilm Form). State Central Library acts a depository library under Press and Registration Books Act, 1867 and Delivery of Books Act, 1954 wherein the entire published book in the State should be deposited in the library for national posterity.
Reference sources like general and subject dictionaries, encyclopedias, Who's Who directories, biographical dictionaries, gazetteers, atlases, travel guides and various other reference sources are available for users.[2] Books for competitive examinations and valuable books on different subjects also form the part of this collection. Students and research scholars also utilise the library.
Location
Participants join in a workshop on book publishing at the Central Library, Panjim.
The library was first housed in the first floor of the Police Building in Panjim (Panaji), Goa's state capital. Since 2011, the library has shifted to its new premises in the Pato locality of Panjim, near the main bus stand. It is housed in a spacious, six-floor building designed by award-winning architect Gerard da Cunha.
News reports in April 2011 quoted officials of the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) as saying that the Rs 32 crore (Rs 320 million) project comprises six floors and covers an area of 13,369 square metres.
Facilities
Media reports have projected that the library "will have" over half a million books—over twice the previous number of the smaller library which was located in the heart of town—besides access to 200 magazines and 20 newspapers. Also promised (prior to the launch of the library) were full-automation in lending and receiving books using the LIBSYS software for library automation (LIBSYS allows for acquisitions or purchase of books; cataloguing and organising documents; serial control for periodicals; circulation including membership records and books issue and return; and article indexing to create a database of articles published in journals).
A special, user-friendly section has also been set up for children (on the second floor), a braille section for visually-challenged readers, an internet section. Officials were quoted saying that plans include "a facility for microfilming and a book preservation laboratory ... (among) the 27 sections that comprise the new centrally air-conditioned state library."
The curator of the central library Carlos Fernandes said that the LIBSYS system is a library-management software that will connect all government libraries in Goa to the central library in Panaji. You can log on to the library website from home and check whether it has a particular book and whether that book is present in the library shelf or out on circulation.
Timings
The library is open on all seven days of the week, including weekends, but is closed on public holidays only. It is also kept open during the lunch break, and its working hours are from 9.30 am to 7:30 pm, though it closes a little earlier on the weekends. Saturdays and Sundays the library remains open from 9:30 am to 5:45 pm.
Other roles
Maria Pia de Menezes Rodrigues[3] says the Central Library offers lending, reading and reference facilities, the first being available only to registered members. Students from Goa and the rest of India make "extensive use of the collection", according to Rodrigues. Research facilities are available to scholars from India and abroad, specially those working on topics related to Goa and Indo-Portuguesehistory. The library has taken part in organising World Book Day, Librarian's Day, National Book Week and the like. Inter-library loan services have been extended to prisons, government and non-government organisations, she says.[3]
The Book in Goa
According to Dr. Archana A. Kakodkar[1] the Carreira da India, or round-voyage between Portugal and India, brought books from Lisbon, Africa and Brazil and other Portuguese colonies – in a two-way traffic – in bundles and boxes as cargoes on the ships.
Membership of the library
Being a public library, funded by the State, it is open to all, and everyone is allowed to use its facilities. Home-lending however requires membership of the library, which currently costs between Rs 200 to 750 (lifetime deposit, no annual fee). To sign-up as a member, which is a speedy process normally done within half an hour, one requires to produce one or two passport sized photographs, and also a local proof of residence (which contains your name, address and photograph – such as a driving licence, passport, Adhar card, etc.).
The requirements for membership (adult) are as follows:
One self photograph, in passport-size.
A photo identity card showing the applicant's residential address. (Aadhar Card, social security card, passport, driving license, a residence certificate issued by the competent authority, an office identity, a college identity card, a bank passport carrying a photo and address are eligible to be used for this purpose.)
For children (below 10 years) the membership requirement is as follows:
Two passport-sized photographs.
A school identity card, or Aadhar Card or passport.
Following are the fees of the library, according to information displayed at the library:
Deposit fees (refundable)
Category
Borrowing facility permitted
Rs 50
Children (below 10 years)
1 book + 1 magazine
Rs 200
AC-1
1 book + 1 magazine
Rs 450
AC-2
2 books + 2 magazines
Rs 750
AC-3
3 books + 3 magazines
Administration today
The State Central Library Goa is currently under the administrative control of Government of Goa's Directorate of Art & Culture. The Curator is the Head of State Central Library, and its current Curator is Carlos Fernandes.
Layout of the library
The table below depicts the location of various resources in the library:
Floor
Facility available
First
Membership Counter. Newspaper/Periodical Section. Braille Section. Book Issue/Return Counter. Self Check-In/Check-Out Kiosk. Books Drop Box.
Second
Children's Section. Maps/Globes Section. Kids Audio Visual Hall. Internet Browsing Section. ADMINISTRATIVE WING: Lecture Halls. Gymnasium. Study Room. Delivery of Book Act Section.
Third
Circulation Section/Book Stack. ADMINISTRATIVE WING: RRRLF Section. Technical Section. Establishment & Accounts Section. Conference Hall. Chamber of the Curator. Research Cubicles.
Fourth
Rare and Goan History Book Section. Manuscript Section. Old Newspaper/Magazine Section. Microfilm Browsing Section. Data Imaging Centre. Fumigation Section. Conservation Laboratory.
Visitors take a closer look at some of the earliest European-printed books in India.
Dictionary of Goan Literature (Portuguese)
Related Research Articles
Old Goa is a historical site and city situated on the southern banks of the River Mandovi, within the Tiswadi taluka (Ilhas) of North Goa district, in the Indian state of Goa.
Panaji is the capital of the Indian state of Goa and the headquarters of North Goa district. Previously, it was the territorial capital of the former Portuguese India. It lies on the banks of the Mandovi river estuary in the Tiswadi sub-district (taluka). With a population of 114,759 in the metropolitan area, Panaji is Goa's largest urban agglomeration, ahead of Margao and Mormugao.
Goan literature is the literature pertaining to the state of Goa in India.
Shashikala Kakodkar, popularly known as Tai, was a prominent leader of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP). She served as the Chief Minister of Goa, Daman and Diu on two occasions, and also was the President of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party. She is the first woman to serve as the Chief Minister of Goa, Daman and Diu.
Media in Goa refers to the newspapers, magazines, radio stations, cable and television networks and online media in India's smallest state. Over the past two-and-half decades, the Goa-linked online media has also grown.
Goa University is a public state research university headquartered in the city of Panaji, in the Indian state of Goa. In addition to Panaji, it has a campus in Margao, Mapusa, Ponda, Old Goa and Vasco da Gama.
This is a timeline of Goan history. It overlaps with the histories of other regions in South Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and colonial powers that influenced the region, including Portugal.
Goan Catholic literature is diverse.
The 1967 Goa status referendum popularly known as the Goa Opinion Poll was a referendum held in newly annexed union territory of Goa and Damaon in India, on 16 January 1967, to deal with the Konkani language agitation and to decide the future of Goa.
Purushottam Kesava Kakodkar was a prominent politician and social worker from Goa. He served as a Member of Parliament in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
The Goa Konkani Akademi is an organization set up by the Government of Goa in 1986 to promote the Konkani in Goa. Its stated aim is to accelerate the pace of development of Konkani by encouraging writers, researchers, etc. and to bring Konkanis from all areas together.
The Konkani language agitations were a series of protests and demonstrations in India, concerning the uncertain future and the official status of the Konkani language. They were held by Goans in the then union territory of Goa, Daman and Diu governed at the time by the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party. The protests involved citizen journalism, student activism and political demonstrations.
The Dalgado Konknni Akademi is an organisation located in Panjim, Goa that works for the development and promotion of Konkani in the Roman script.
Krishnadas Shama, a Gaud Saraswat Brahmin and native of Quelossim in Goa, was the author of Krishna Charitrakatha. According to verses (ovis) 245-250 of this work, it was commenced on 25 April 1526, or Vaishakh Shukla of shake 1448 according to the Hindu calendar. The original manuscript of this work was discovered by Mariano Saldanha in the Public Library of Braga in Portugal. The work has 19 chapters (ovesvaru) and 3,123 verses (ovis). It is a rendering of the Tenth canto (Adhyaya) of the Bhagavata Purana. It may be the first extant prose work by a Goan in Marathi.
Bookworm is a library for children that operates out of the locality of Taleigão, near the capital city of Panjim (Panaji) in Goa, India.
The Dr Francisco Luis Gomes District Library is the major library in the district of South Goa, Goa, India. It is run and funded by the Government of Goa and was set up on 21 November 2010. The Library covers area of above 8000 square metres, comprising five floors, providing various services to the users. It is the second-largest library in Goa, after the Krishnadas Shama Goa State Central Library at Panjim, the state headquarters. This library is located just outside the city of Margao, which is also the headquarters of the South Goa district.
Goa is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is bound by the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north, and Karnataka to the east and south, with the Arabian Sea in the west. It is India's smallest state by area and fourth-smallest by population. Goa has the highest GDP per capita among all Indian states, two and a half times as high as the GDP per capita of the country as a whole. The Eleventh Finance Commission of India named Goa the best-placed state because of its infrastructure, and India's National Commission on Population rated it as having the best quality of life in India. It is the third-highest ranking among Indian states in the human development index.
The Portuguese controlled Goa until 1961, when India took over. Only a very small fraction of Goans speak Portuguese nowadays. Although an essential religious language, there were 1,500 students learning Portuguese in Goa in 2015; totaling a number of 10,000 – 12,000 Portuguese speakers in the state.
Madhav Borkar is a noted Konkani poet, former station director of All India Radio and Konkani litterateur based in Goa, India.
References
Public Libraries of the 21st Century. Panjim/Panaji, Directorate of Arts & Culture, Government of Goa, 2010, p.59-74
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Kakodkar, Dr. Archana A., 'Public Library Movement in Goa' in Public Libraries of the 21st Century. Ed. Carlos Fernandes et al. Goa: Directorate of Arts & Culture, 2010
1 2 Menezes Rodrigues, Maria Pia de, 'Public Library Services in Goa: Challenges for the 21st Century' in Public Libraries of the 21st Century. Ed. Carlos Fernandes et al. Goa: Directorate of Arts & Culture, 2010
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