State Central Library, Kerala


State Central Library of Kerala is also known as Trivandrum Public Library. It is in the center of Thiruvananthapuram city, the capital of Kerala.

History

The Library was established in 1829 during the reign of King Swathi Thirunal of Travancore. The work of starting and organising the Library was entrusted to Col. Edward Cadogan, then the British Resident who was the grand son of Sir Hans Sloane, the founder of the British Museum. Col. Cadogan was the first president of the Trivandrum Public Library committee, which managed the affairs of the Library. At that time, only a privileged class who were called to attend the Durbar of His Highness the Maharaja was allowed admission to the Library. The Library was then known as "Trivandrum People’s Library".
Other landmarks in the history of library are:
  1. Technical Section
  2. Circulation Section
  3. English Section
  4. Malayalam Section
  5. Hindi / Sanskrit Section
  6. Reference Section
  7. Children's Section
  8. Binding Section
  9. Reprographic Section
  10. Closed Reference Section
  11. Member's Reading Room
  12. General Reading Room
  13. Cash Section
  14. Administrative Office
  15. Internet Browsing Centre
  16. Kerala Gazette Section
  17. Multimedia Section
  18. Digital Library
  19. British Library Collection
  20. A Library science certification course in place.

    Digital library

Library has a digital collection in searchable format of 709 books, in English and Malayalam.

Children's library

The New Heritage Model building within the campus is devoted for Children's library. A multimedia Section is also functioning in this building.
The library is also conducting a certificate course in Library and information science.