Banasthali Vidyapith – UNESCO 24th Edition of World Book and Copyright Day

As a vector of knowledge, books bring people together around a story and a common heritage while revealing their specificities through different cultures, identities and languages. Books are the legacies that a great genius leaves to human race, which are delivered down from generation to generation as presents to the posterity of those who are yet born. Through this day, UNESCO aims to champion books and celebrate creativity, diversity and equal access to knowledge.

23 April is a symbolic date for world literature. It is on this date prominent authors who include Maurice Druon, Haldor K.Laxness, Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla and Manuel Mejía Vallejo were born and in 1616 on this very date Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died.

It was a natural choice for UNESCO's General Conference, held in Paris in 1995, to pay a world-wide tribute to books and authors on this date, encouraging everyone, and in particular young people, to discover the pleasure of reading and gain a renewed respect for the irreplaceable contributions of those, who have furthered the social and cultural progress of humanity.

Since 2019 is International year of the Indigenous Languages, the 24th edition of World Book and Copyright Day had the aim to celebrate literature and reading while focusing particularly on the importance of enhancing and protecting Indigenous languages.

The task of a University is the creation of future and no university in the world has ever risen to greatness without a correspondingly great library and 1935 established Banasthali in Rajasthan which is presently the World’s largest fully residential women’s University is no exception. One of the three original copies of the Indian Constitution is presently in Banasthali whose founder Apaji Shri Hiralal Shastriji was one of the members of the constituent assembly which drafted the constitution.

The Banasthali Vidyapith library came into existence in 1935; in 1939 the library collection was 1700 books and “Veerbala” a quarterly journal was also brought out for students to improve their creative ability and writing. Presently the library collection has over two lakh books which include about 10,000 story books in different languages. The Library area is 33617 Sq Ft and is fully automated. In addition to Central Library, there are 9 departmental libraries in higher education system and 3 school libraries.

E Books at Banasthali include Elsevier), Wiley, Pearson and Springer while Subscribed print journals and magazines total over 300. E Journals include IEEE, Sage apart from Database Manupatra, EBSCO and Scopus. About 9000+ journals are accessible online under UGC-INFONET Consortia. The library offers Reference Services, Users’ Orientation Services, Circulation Services, Current Awareness Services, and Plagiarism Checking etc.

Deputy Librarian Ms Asha Sharma says that Banasthali Library has established a rich tradition of celebrating every year various National & International Days by exhibiting the books that relate to the occasion. During any year, the celebrations with book exhibitions include Goswami Tulsidas Jayanti, Munshi Premchand Jayanti, Shaheed Diwas, Librarians’ Day, Teacher’s Day, Hindi Diwas, Gandhi Jayanti, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Jayanti, Children’s Day and Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala' Birth Anniversary.

Thousands of students and faculty who frequent the library everyday say with beaming faces and pride that they are part of an institution Banasthali which is indeed a jewel in the crown among the women’s universities not only in India today but across the globe.

For more details about Banasthali see http://www.banasthali.org/

About Banasthali: Established in 1935, the Institution which is also the largest fully residential women’s university in the world has played a big role in revolutionizing women’s education and empowerment in India for the last eight decades. Banasthali has scripted numerous success stories in a wide range of fields, and stands tall among the citadels of learning in India today. Proud to be Banasthali alumni who call themselves as Banasthalites can be found in all latitudes, longitudes and altitudes in all walks of life across the globe. Banasthali has the pride of being chosen as a Faculty Development Centre under the MHRD Govt of India Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya National Mission on Teachers and Teaching (PMMMNMTT) as well as for hosting Atal Incubation Centre (AIC) by NITI Aayog Apart from various National Rankings which include India Today #2, FICCI University of the year 2015, NAAC A grade, MHRD NIRF top 100, in recent past, Banasthali has been in national and international media attention for getting Quacquarelli Symonds QS Asia University Ranking, QS BRICS Ranking, Diamond status under QS i-Gauge Indian University Rating and the overall Four Star Ranking in - QS Stars Rated for Excellence with 5 Stars for each for Teaching, Employability, Facilities, Arts & Culture and Inclusiveness.

Banasthali Vidyapith
Banasthali Rajasthan – 304022
Phone 91 1438 228456 / 228341
Email: info@banasthali.ac.in
Website: http://www.banasthali.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Banasthali.org

This release was published on openPR.