The library at Bharata Mata College commenced its operations with the establishment of the institution on 5th July,1965 by His Eminence the late Joseph Cardinal Parecattil. Library is often linkened to a growing organism and since 1965, it has undergone numerous changes. It underwent a noteworthy transformation until 2002. The new library complex was formally inaugurated on December 3, 2002 in a ceremony presided over by His Eminence Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil. With the shift to the new library complex in August 2011 a notable development materialized as a part of modernization, computerization, and digitization, i.e. installation of the DSpace, a digital repository system. The library went through a substantial renovation and remodeling. During 2018-19, the library transformed into an automated system where the software system fully controls the cataloging and circulation of books, sending notices to the readers etc. In March 2019, an additional enhanced service was introduced and the implementation of DAISY Talking Book Project for the visually challenged individuals. In April 2022, the RFID Access Control System was launched to enhance readers' movement to the library. The college library is positioned in the campus's central area, offering convenient access to the readers. Operational hours are from 8.45 a.m to 5.00 p.m. on all working days. The library is automated with the software KOHA for the overall management of library operations. Books are classified according to the Dewey Decimal Classification Scheme 22nd edition. We provide open open-access facility in the library keeping in mind the right information for the right user at the right time. The library’s assets are mainly for the students, faculties and the staff. The total area of the library is 6250 sq. ft. It is divided into five sections, Main Hall, Reference Hall, Research Room, General Stack and Digital Library.
Library Advisory Committee
LAC facilitates the library’s functioning, meets thrice a year and major decisions regarding the improvement and development of the library, operational issues if any, are taken according to the opinion of LAC. The committee also tries to identify the emerging and innovative trends that affect library services and puts into practice new strategies to engage the students more effectively.
LAC constitution: Chairman, Secretary, HoDs-5, Student representative-1
To provide a student centered learning environment by facilitating access to comprehensive resources and services in support of research, teaching, and learning needs of the academic community.
To provide the best quality scholarly resources and services with the innovative use of technology fostering research culture.
Libraries are dynamic instruments of education and Bharata Mata College library focuses on the excellence in services and flexible access to learning materials. These goals are attained by optimizing the skills, expertise and knowledge to support the college’s mission with respect to curriculum and research.
- QUESTION BANKS
Students are provided with the previous year question papers of their course of study and students find it very useful.
- INFORMATION LITERACY PROGRAMS
Library celebrates many literary events and conducts programs and competitions for students throughout the year. Orientation Program conducts every year for the first-year students on the library services and resources, search and retrieval mechanism of databases and others. Research support services like Reference Management System, Academic Profile Activation, research oriented seminars/workshops are conducts frequently.
- CAREER CORNER
There is a separate section of the library earmarked, Career Corner, wherein the books for various national and international level competitive exams are kept. There are books for TOEFL, IELTS, which help students go abroad for higher studies and other higher education jobs. Also books of administrative services are available for students.
- COMPUTER FACILITY
There is a well-equipped computer room in the library, with 20 computers and internet facility available for students. The library is enabled with Wi-fi facility for all users.
- WEB BASED OPAC
Its purpose is to enable a user of the collection to find out the physical location of the information in the collection. It is an access tool and resource guide to the collection of a library or libraries which provides bibliographic data in machine-readable form, facilitates search interactively on computer terminal by a user.
- REFERENCE BOOKS & BOUND JOURNALS
There is a big section of reference books and back volumes of journals are bound and kept for reference.
- INSTITUTIONAL REPOSITORY
Student projects, Career News, Question papers and other intellectual work by the college and academic community are available in electronic form for the reference.
- NEW ARRIVAL ALERT SERVICE
To make the users aware of the new collection added to the library or their interested subject area we offer email alert service and Blog. Also, Journal Contents Pages are scanned and circulate among the readers.
- CURRENT AWARENESS SERVICE
We offer a gist of important daily news and facts form the leading newspapers like The Hindu, The Indian Express, The Times of India and Deccan Herald. Students can access this from the library’s repository service. This is a joint initiative of Central Libraries of Bharata Mata College and VTM NSS College, Dhanuvachapuram.
- PLAGIARISM CHECK SERVICE
Library handles plagiarism check for P.G. and U.G student projects, papers presented for conference/ workshop, abstracts through “Plagiarism Checker X” software to ensure academic integrity.
- SERVICES TO THE DIVYANGJAN
1. Services to the Visually Challenged:
- Daisy Audio Books installed in the library.
Library installed the software DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System) jointly with the Kerala Federation of the Blind Youth Forum and Kerala State Youth Welfare Board on 23rd March 2019. It has a collection of around 200 books including short stories, novels, Competitive exams books and others in Malayalam language.
- Membership in the “Bookshare” audio books. https://www.bookshare.org/cms/bookshare-me/who-qualifies
- Study materials are recorded by the college voice bank and kept in MP3 formats in the library.
Study materials are being recorded by the six student volunteers from the English and Malayalam departments from the college recording studio and it is delivered to the students through the Telegram group created by the librarian. And some teachers from language departments are also ready to donate their sound.
2. Services to the Physically Challenged:
- Barrier free access to the library with ramps at the entrance of the library.
- Wheel Chair Facility.
- Service minded library personnel and barrier free service at the circulation desk.