// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhy did the book go to Jashore Institute Public Library? To get a novel degree.
 Jashore Institute Public Library in 2016 | |
| Formation | 1851 |
|---|---|
| Type | Government |
| Legal status | Institute |
| Headquarters | Jashore, Bangladesh |
Region served | Bangladesh |
Official language | Bengali |
Parent organization | Jashore Institute |
Formerly called | Jessore Public library (1851-1951) Jessore Institute Public Library (1951-2018) |
Jashore Institute Public Library (Bengali: যশোর ইনস্টিটিউট পাবলিক লাইব্রেরি) is a public library in Jashore city founded in 1851.[1] It is the oldest library in Bangladesh and one of the oldest libraries in South Asia.
History
[edit]Jashore Public Library was founded in 1851 by R. C. Rex. the district tax collector, in a central location of Jashore city. R. C. Rex received funding from the local elites such as the indigo planters and local zamindars of Narail and Naldanga. The library became a centre of social and literary gathering in Jashore. The library had a billiard room. Jashore city developed around the library, the Jashore Town hall was built in 1904 and Aryan Theatre in 1919. Roy Bahadur Jadunath Majumdar combined the public library with Aryan Theatre and the Town Club in 1927 to form a combined cultural and community centre for Jashore. This created the Jashore Institute which was renamed by the government to Jashore Institute Public Library.[2]
In 1928, the library moved to a new building which was financed by Abinashchandra Sarker, a lawyer, The library hall was named Biswnath Hall after the father of Abinashchandra Sarker. In 1942 the library compound was taken over by the Royal Indian Air Force as part of preparations for World War II. The library started functioning again as a library after the end of World War II. The library needed renovation following its use as a military base and the partition of India. In 1953 funds were provided by the United Front government of East Pakistan.[2][3]
In 1960, a professional librarian was hired, a modern cataloguing system was implemented, and the open shelf model was adopted. The library moved in 1964 into a new two storied building of about 11,000 square feet (1,000 m2).[4]
In 1978 the Khulna Divisional Development Board build a new Book Bank Hall for the library. The library has 67,197 books. The library had 49,306 Bengali books and 17,391 books in English language. The rest of the books are in Arabic, Persian language, and Urdu. The library has ancient manuscripts written in palm leaves including Shrikrishna Daipayana, the writer of the Hindu epic Mahabharata.[2][3]
References
[edit]- ↑ "ইতিহাসের সাক্ষী হয়ে টিকে আছে যশোর ইনস্টিটিউট পাবলিক লাইব্রেরি". Bangla Tribune (in Bengali). Retrieved 2025-04-05.
- 1 2 3 Khan, Benjeen. "Jessore Institute Public Library". Banglapedia. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
- 1 2 "Public library hamstrung by funds crunch in Jashore". The Independent. 26 August 2018. Archived from the original on 25 November 2018. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
- ↑ Ahmad, Sultan Uddin (1994). Librarianship and the state of libraries in Bangladesh. Dhaka: Luthfun Nessah Begum. pp. 98–99. ISBN 984-30-0092-7.
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23°09′51″N 89°12′33″E / 23.1642°N 89.2093°E
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