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Glorious History of ISI Library
The Library, Documentation and Information Science Division of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) has a rich history in the course of its development and leadership in the profession. Originating in a small room of Presidency College (Kolkata), the Library took almost forty-five years to become well-integrated. The procurement of its collection was first initiated in 1930 when the Statistical Laboratory (the earlier ISI) allocated about ₹25,000 for books and other equipment. Thereafter, the Library grew alongside the Institute—almost in a natural way—adapting itself over time to provide customized, tailor-made service suites that evolved to meet the changing needs of its users.
The ISI Library, since its inception, has been providing a variety of library and information services to its users. Originating in a small room inside the Baker Laboratory of Presidency College, the Library took more than forty-five years to become well integrated and was moved to its present premises in 1978. It has been serving as one of the most resourceful libraries in the fields of mathematics, statistics, and allied disciplines, thereby catering to a wide spectrum of academicians and research communities.
The Library rules were framed, and a full-time Librarian (Shri Jibananda Saha) was appointed in 1939, who served until 1974. The Library’s history includes phases of dislocation, relocation, and dispersal across multiple sites. The first major dislocation occurred in 1942 as an emergency evacuation measure during the Second World War. By that time, the Library had acquired about 11,000 valuable resources in various forms. A portion of the collection was moved from the Presidency College premises to Professor P. C. Mahalanobis’s residence, Amrapali, at Baranagar in northern Calcutta, while another portion was transferred to Giridih (a small town in Bihar) where he used to spend his vacations. Thus, the Library began operating from three different locations.
By 1948, the Library faced an acute space shortage, exacerbated when the space at Presidency College had to be vacated following Mahalanobis’s retirement from his professorship. Consequently, the Institute purchased land adjacent to Amrapali, and construction of a new building began, which was formally inaugurated in 1951. In early 1953, a major portion of the Library’s collection was shifted to this new building, forming the Central Library. The Presidency College unit continued as a service branch until it was later relocated to ISI’s rented premises at Albert Hall (beside Coffee House). Additionally, another service branch was established at ISI’s City Office (9B Esplanade Row) in December 1953.
After moving into the new premises with increased space, the Library expanded its services and was reorganized into two main sections. The Central Section housed books, data books, official records, and statistics of various countries in the new building; while the Reference Section, located at Amrapali, contained journals, special materials, and reprints with an attached reading room. The Library’s activities grew rapidly, keeping pace with the diverse demands of the Institute’s researchers. To support users, the service hours of the Reading Section were extended up to 8:30 p.m. on all working days.
During the 1950s, new units were established to manage the expanding range of activities efficiently—namely, the Documentation Unit, Records Unit, Photography Unit, and Translation Unit. The Documentation Unit provided consolidated technical information (such as weekly digests, bibliographies, documentation, and abstracting and indexing services). The Records Unit managed a large collection of maps obtained from statistical surveys, while the Translation Unit translated scientific literature from Russian, German, and Chinese into English. The Photography Unit, equipped with microfilm and photographic apparatus, played a vital role in reproducing and preserving library materials with reliability and precision.
Landmark developments
