About The Kasba Public Library
(কসবা সাধারণ পাঠাগার)
(Regd. Under Act. XXI of 1860 Repealed under West Bengal Act. XXVI of 1961) Regd. No. 2886 Dt. 18/10/1917)
The Kasba Public Library is one of the oldest libraries of Kolkata. It has traversed a long way with a chequered record. In the year 1904 when Kasba was a hamlet and devoid of the so called modern amenities, some young and energetic boys thought that some effort should be made to quench the thirst of knowledge of local people and a library named Renu Kutir Library was established on 24th July 1904. At first it started in a room made up with bamboo sticks. The motto was to spread education, character building and fellow feeling amongst the local inhabitants. In the inaugural ceremony Mr. Biharilal Sarkar, editor of Bengali Magazine "Bangabasi" presided over the function. On 19th October 1917 the said library was registered in the name of The Kasba Public Library under Society's Registration Act.
The day of Saraswati Puja in the year 1919 is a remarkable day in the history of the Kasba Public Library. A seminar was organized on that day under the presidentship of Dr. Sudhansu Kumar Bandyopadhyay, where renowned scientist Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy delivered his lecture that had been incorporated in his collection of works subsequently. Sir C. V. Raman and Sir Haridev Sastri also graced the seminar with their presentations.
In the year 1922 the library got its own building with the help of local people. At that time President of the governing body was renowned professor Dr. Benimadhab Barua and Vice President was former Vice-Chancellor of Delhi University Dr. Surendra Nath Sen.
In the year 1931, a function was organized in aid of the library where poet Kazi Nazrul Islam recited a poem. Poet Jatindra Mohan Bagchi and Sri Nirmal Ch. Chandra gave their deliberations also.
On the birthday of Rabindranath Tagore in 1943, a function was arranged where Principal Khsitimohan Sen Sastri, Dr. Kalidas Nag, Prof. Manomohan Ghosh and Prof. Rabiranjan Mitra Majumder participated.
On 14th November 1954, the library organized its Golden Jubilee Celebration where renowned historian Dr. Surendra Nath Sen and scientist Dr. Sudhansu Kumar Bandyopadhyay were present. Besides them, Sri Amalendu Kumar Dasgupta, Assistant Editor of Ananda Bazar Patrika, Professor Tripura Sankar Sen, Professor Sushil Jana and many more dignitaries were present.
The year 1959 is also important in the history of The Kasba Public Library. In the month of September 1959, the Kasba Public Library took the responsibility of governing a primary school named Alor Parash, which is now one of the most popular schools of the locality. It has its own building also. The aim of patronizing this school was to spread education amongst the underprivileged children of the locality.
The library observed its Platinum Jubilee Celebration in the year 1979. A year long programme was organized, where children and local youths took part in different cultural competitions. The main function was inaugurated by the then Honourable Governor Sri T. N. Singh. Dr. R. K. Dasgupta, Director of The National Library presided over the programme. Dr. Dasgupta appreciated the executive committee of the library for their relentless services to the society. The concluding ceremony was held for three days where symposium, drama, musical soiree and Jatra were performed by eminent artists of that time.
In the year 2004, the Kasba Public Library observed its Centenary celebration at Madhusudan Mancha where Honourable Library Minister, Government of West Bengal; MLAs; MP of the locality and other dignitaries graced the occasion. The students of Alor Parash, the school patronized by the library, also participated in the programme. Renowned vocal artists of this era presented their rendition up to the satisfaction of all.
In fine, it is to be pointed out that though this institution is striving its best to salvage our rich culture, satisfying the epistemological desire of the vicinity, creating fellow feeling amongst different sections of people without any cast, creed or religion, there is a big gap between what the executive committee of the library is conceiving and what it is achieving. The committee is contemplating to develop the library in a higher scale. There are many rare collections of books which could not be properly preserved in a scientific way. So it is the urgent need of the hour to take action in this respect. There is a plan to prepare a computerized catalogue for the use of the readers. There is a text book section of the library wherefrom the local students can take help, but this section requires to be updated regularly so that it can cater to the needs of the students. The library also requires space saving furniture so that there is no problem in keeping the newly purchased books in future. But all these plans remain a dream due to paucity of funds. The library does not get any grant regularly from the government or private organizations. So it is our appeal to all sections (both government and private) to extend their helping hands so that we can protect and preserve this library, which has become a heritage at present, for future generations to come. Our effort to develop a healthy cultural and value based society through this library will get a fillip if we can materialize our dream.
Executive Committee Members of The Kasba Public Library
(2022 – 2025)
President : Sri Bimal Kumar Chakraborty
Vice-president : Sri Subhankar Thakur, Sri Debotosh Chowdhury
Secretary : Smt Sujata Biswas
Assistant Secretary : Smt Swantana Sarkar
Treasurer : Sri Kalyan Sen
Librarian : Smt Ruma Sen
Assistant Librarian : Sri Pradip Kumar Banerjee, Smt Nibedita Ganguly
Internal Auditor : Sri Chandan Kumar Dey
Members :
Sri Bishnu Charan Banerjee
Sri Amitesh Chakraborty
Smt Deepa Khandelwal
Library Services
Reading Room Facility - The Library provides free reading room facility for all. Books, newspapers and magazines can be read here.
Book Lending Service - In a day single book can be borrowed by a member. A member can keep a book for fifteen days without any late fine. After this period fifty paise (50p.) per day will be charged as late fine.
Newspaper and Magazine Section - The Kasba Public Library subscribes following newspapers and magazines:
Newspapers :
বাংলা- আনন্দবাজার পত্রিকা, বর্তমান, আজকাল, গণশক্তি (Complimentary Copy), এই সময়;
English- The Statesman, The Telegraph, The Times of India
Magazines :
Weekly- বর্তমান, কর্মক্ষেত্র;
Fortnightly- দেশ (Complimentary Copy), সানন্দা, আনন্দমেলা;
Monthly- শুকতারা, প্রসাদ, নবকল্লোল, কিশোর ভারতী, Competition Success Review, ভ্রমণ, সুখী গৃহকোণ (Complimentary Copy), The Management Accountant, Chartered Accountant (Complimentary Copy), শরীর ও স্বাস্থ্য (Complimentary Copy);
Bi-monthly- শাশ্বত নির্ভীক পথিক (Complimentary Copy);
Quarterly- বইয়ের দেশ;
Annually- Hindustan Yearbook, নবকল্লোল, আনন্দলোক, দেশ, আনন্দমেলা, শুকতারা, আজকাল, বর্তমান, সময়, কিশোর ভারতী, প্রসাদ, সন্দেশ, প্রতিদিন, ভ্রমণ, পঞ্জিকা, তথ্যকেন্দ্র, প্রতিক্ষণ, গণশক্তি (Complimentary Copy), শারদাঞ্জলি, সম্পূর্ণা
Library Membership
Library membership is subject to existing rules and regulations. For library membership details please contact The Kasba Public Library. Contact details are available at the bottom of the blog. Thanks!
About Alor Parash School
(আলোর পরশ বিদ্যালয়)
Alor Parash School is one of the oldest primary schools of Kasba. In the year 1957, some young enthusiasts came forward to establish a learning centre for the kids of the locality who are basically underprivileged, keeping in mind their educational and cultural upliftment. Late Braja Kishore Manna, a generous person of the locality, was kind enough to give permission to use his residence for the said purpose. At the outset, there were very few students. Late Uma Manna, wife of Late Braja Kishore Manna, was the founder teacher of the said centre. But after the sad demise of Smt. Uma Manna, in the year 1959, The Kasba Public Library took over the charge of this learning centre and it became a full fledged school. The school was then shifted to the library building. The first headmaster of the school was Late Sankar Dasgupta. Beside Sankar Dasgupta, other teachers, namely, Late Mira Das, Renuka Goswami, Annapurna Chatterjee, Late Gita Roy and others came forward and rendered yeoman's service to build up the school as an ideal educational institution of the locality against a meagre remuneration.
On 10th May 1969, land was purchased from Late Surendranath Ghosal for school building. At present it is situated on that land at 119, B. B. Chatterjee Road, Kasba, Kolkata - 700 042.
The teachers, non-teaching staff and governing body of The Kasba Public Library jointly strive their best not only to educate the students but to impart human values, so that they become ideal citizens of our country in future. We are glad to inform that ex-students of this school have not only made us proud by their self sufficiency but some of them are contributing a lot to the society also.
Alor Parash neither gets any financial assistance from any quarters nor collects exorbitant tuition fees from its students. It has introduced computer training from the Nursery Section in order to bring an edge in technical education amongst the students and place them at par with students of renowned schools of the locality. In fine, it can be said that if Alor Parash gets the kind blessings and helping hands of the public at large, it has all the potentiality of projecting itself as a premier institution in future.