WHERE KNOWLEDGE IS FREE : THE JOURNEY OF A LIBRARIAN BY KALPANA DASGUPTA [HARDCOVER] OLD BOOK

Kalpana Dasgupta, the first and till date only woman Librarian of the National Library of India, recounts her fascinating career in the Library and Information Sciences sector of India spanning 52 years. This professional memoir attempts to dispel some of the stereotypes that library professionals are often faced with, and also provides aspiring librarians with a glimpse into the actual workings of various kinds of libraries. Written with a light touch and packed with anecdotes and insights, this book will be an interesting read both for library professionals as well as the general reader.

Kalpana Dasgupta’s journey as a Librarian began with an impromptu decision to enrol for a degree in Library Science at Jadavpur University, Kolkata, in 1964. She later received a Fulbright Scholarship to study at the School of Library and Information Science, Syracuse University, USA. Thus began a career in libraries over five decades, and counting.

In this professional memoir, Dasgupta speaks about her postings, starting as Library Assistant in the Botanical Survey of India, and working her way through reputable institutions like the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), New Delhi, and the prestigious National Library of India.

Dasgupta has served on almost all leading library committees and foundations of the Government of India, and she explains the workings of these through anecdotal observations.

The book also takes a close look at the Library Systems in India, digitisation, cataloguing and best practices, and offers her thoughts and hopes for the future of India’s library institutions and aspiring and practising library professionals.