CENTRAL REFERENCE LIBRARY (CRL)

CENTRAL REFERENCE LIBRARY

The Central Reference Library (CRL), Kolkata is the National Bibliographic Agency of the country. The CRL was established as a subordinate organization under the thenMinistry of Scientific Research and Cultural Affairs (now Ministry of Culture) in August 1955 in the National Library campus, Kolkata. It is administered by a Librarian (redesignated as Senior Library and Information Officer) who also acts as the General Editor of its publications. The primary objective of this organization is to compile and publish the Indian National Bibliography, an authoritative record of books published in 14 different languages of India including Englishwhich is based on the receipts of books in the National Library, Kolkata under the provision of the Delivery of Books and Newspapers (Public Libraries) Act, 1954. Apart from that it also publishes the Index Indiana; an index to articles in contemporary Indian language periodicals.

At present it is entrusted with the responsibility of implementation of the following objectives:

Compilation, publication and sale of the Indian National Bibliography (INB) in Roman Script both as monthly and annual cumulations.
Compilation and publication of language fascicules of the INB
Compilation, publication and sale of Index Indiana which is an index to select articles appearing in current Indian Periodicals in six major languages.
Compilation and publication of Special Bibliographies in time to time.