Tuesday, November 10, 2009

About the Department

Foundation of the department of Library Science was laid way back in 1950-51 with the introduction of a "Certificate Course in Library Science" by the then University Librarian, Late Prof. S. Bashiruddin. The course proved so popular that after a few years, the University decided to run two courses a year. Encouraged by the success of the certificate course, Late Padamshri Prof.S. Bashiruddin introduced "Bachelor of Library Science" in 1958-59 with full time lecturers for the first time in the country. The certificate course was discontinued in 1968-69.Subsequently,"Master of Library Science" was introduced in 1970-71. Another pioneering step taken by the Department in the year 1986-87 was the introduction of Library Sciences as a subsidiary subject at B.A. level in the Faculties of Arts and Social Sciences. Realizing the need and importance of research in the subject, the Department started M.Phil./Ph.D, programme since 1990-91.
Other features of Dept. of Library and Info. Science include its updated Curricula, in line with the UGC's model curriculum, and to meet need of the hour, the syllabi of the courses offered by the department have been thoroughly revised . A special feature of the revised syllabi in the emphasis on Information Technology and on-training on a number of library automation software packages. The seminar of the department has been developed in to a "Fully Automated Library" with issue and return of books through Barcode, OPAC, Access to E-Journals and C.D. work station. The teachers of the Department have also received training in Information Technology within the country and also abroad.

About Aligarh Muslim University

The establishment of Mohammedan Anglo Oriental (MAO) College in 1875 marks one of the most important events in the educational and social history of modern India. Its establishment is considered as the first significant response of the Indian Muslims to the challenges of post -1857 era. It was an important catalyst in a process of social change among Muslims. In 1920, an Act of Indian Legislative Council elevated the M.A.O. College to the status of a Central University. Since that time AMU has grown into a major Indian university. It presently covers a very wide spectrum of academic disciplines, having 88 departments, 5 institutions, 13 centres. The University currently has about 28000 students on its rolls, most of whom stay in 16 halls of residences with 70 hostels. It employs about 1400 academic staff, and about 6000 non-teaching staff. On an average, about 500 foreign students come to study at AMU every year.The University has a campus spread over 467.6 hectares of land.