Now, browse through rare book collections of Bengal libraries

It is said that there is no addiction greater than that of reading books and a true bookworm can literally stay oblivious to the real world if he/she has the company of books.

Did you say you fall in the same category of people and have an obsession for books? Well, for you and other bookworms like you, the digital repository of the West Bengal Public Library Network can provide rare books which are under the collections of various libraries across Bengal.

Still vexed how would you get the rare books online? Well, the West Bengal Public Library Network has taken the pain to upload the books in an electronic form or simply in the form of e-books.

Many book lovers are getting this benefit as there are some rare books stored in the collection of the digital repository.

The digital repository can search through a wide range of collection of books and a user can use the feature from the search option.

The website also has several options to choose subjects. The browsers can find out their choice of books from among the subjects.

"This is really very helpful for book lovers. They can get the book from the collection of libraries across West Bengal," said a source.

This repository has been initiated with the assistance of Mass Education and Extension and Library Service Department of the state government. Centre for Development of Advance Computing has also helped the department to take this initiative.

The digital repository of the West Bengal Public Library Network aimed to provide free services to academicians, researchers and students.

"Sometimes it is really difficult for the researchers to find the proper books for their study. Through this network, the researchers can get the rare books which have been kept in the collections of various libraries in Bengal," the source added.

Book lovers can collect, preserve and distribute rare books from this network too. They can search books by date of issues, name of author, titles of the book and the subject of the book. Book lovers can also create their own profile by signing up with their email ids.

There are many subjects under which some famous books can be found. Generalities, Philosophy and Psychology, Religion, Social Science, Language, Natural Science and Mathematics, Engineering, Arts, Literature and Rhetoric, Geography, Travel and History are the subjects under which rare books can be found. Government publications and Indian Journal of Physics can also be found in the website