Library
The library of the French Institute of Pondicherry is a multi-disciplinary research library. Its collection was started with the founding of the Institute in 1955, and was constituted over the years with the active collaboration of the Institute’s researchers. Today the library has a rich and varied collection of books and journals relating to the cultural knowledge and heritage, contemporary social dynamics and environment and sustainable development, of India, and more generally of South Asia.
As of today, the collection consists of 59000 books, 300 theses, over 1000 articles and 800 journals of which 260 are received currently. Between 1500 and 2000 books are added to the collection every year.
Library catalogue
The library catalogue is a unique catalogue, since it enables search and display of Indian-language records in both the original Indian scripts and in Roman transliteration (UNICODE). It contains the library’s collection of books, theses and articles. The computerization of the journals is underway.
Readers
The IFP’s collections are first and foremost constituted to meet the requirements of its own staff. However the library also welcomes external readers who are involved in serious research and study, particularly post-graduate students, researchers and academics (an identity card is requested on the first visit). Admission is free of cost. The library receives almost 5000 visits from readers every year.
Facilities/Services
- 2 dedicated OPACs or Online Public Access Catalogues.
- Plug-points with stabilized electricity supply for the use of laptops in the reading room.
- Documents have to be consulted on spot (Only the Institute’s staff has borrowing privileges).
- Photocopying facilities. Old and damaged books are not photocopied.
- The library provides inter-library loan facilities to its own researchers (via DELNET — Developing Library Network – of which it is a member).
Timings
Mondays to Fridays 8.30 am to 12.30 am and 2 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. The library is closed on holidays and in the month of May.
Contacting the library
Library,
French Institute of Pondicherry,
11, St.Louis Street,
P.B. 33, Pondicherry-605 001.
Phone: (91)-413-2334168.
Fax:(91)-413-2339534.
E-mail: library@ifpindia.org
Latest addition : 7 February 2006