Collections/Sections

Main collection section

This is the section where all the borrowable books have been kept. This collection section is situated on the ground floor at the far left side of the entrance hall of the library. All the books have been arranged subject-wise ranging from 000 to 999 code number bearing stickers affixed to the spine of each and every book. In this section, users are given free access to approach the book-stacks to browse through the shelves and choose the book/s of their interest. This collection comprises the curriculum based textbooks and other literature books that can be checked-out for home reading. This section’s extends upto the stacks kept at the both sides of the main staircase.  

Textbooks section

This section contains additional copies of curriculum-based books. This is a special section and the books cannot be checked out for home use hence can be consulted inside the library only. Users don’t have direct access to the book stacks of this library but have to seek help from the library assistant.

Nepal collection/Theses section

As the name itself implies, this section is comprised of the books that are published in Nepal or written on Nepal or in Nepali language. This section also contains Theses and Dissertations that were submitted by Ph.D. scholars and Master’s degree students. This is a special section hence no books are allowed to be borrowed for home use and readers have no direct access to the book-stacks either. This is one of the most consulted sections of the library.

Reference Section

This section has a very rich collection of more than 30,200 Reference books. These books are mainly multi-volumed, big sized, costly and valuable books on different subjects. These books include – Encyclopaedias, Dictionaries, Directories, Gazetteers, Yearbooks, Almanacs, Handbooks/Manuals, Quotation books, Bibliographies, World record books etc. Users can have direct access to the shelves but no books are meant to be borrowed for home use. This reference section is located on the farwestern side on the ground floor.

Singha collection section

This collection is entirely the books donated in 1977 July by Singh Shumsher, the son of late Prime minister of Nepal Mr. Chandra Shumsher JBR. He donated altogether 5000 books along with artistic wooden racks to keep the books in. Beautifully hardbound and artistically decorated to look at these books are in History, Philosophy, Psychology, Travel, Hunting, Culture, Politics, Art/Architecture etc. subject.  

UN depository section

Since 1965, T.U.Central Library has been designated as the only UN depository library in Nepal for the publications of United Nations and its agencies. Ever since then T.U.Central library has been regularly receiving UN publications. The publications include books, journals, reports etc. Besides this, other International organizations too have been sending their publications to this library free of cost. This collection section is on the first floor.

Foreign /Chinese books section

This collection section is relatively a new one. This section was established in 2018 with a collection of some 750 books donated by Tibet International Cultural Exchange Association (TICEA) and Tianli bookstore. Ever since then, every year new Chinese books are being added. Most of the books are in English language published in China. Other books are bilingual but are of Chinese origin viz. Chinese+Nepali, Chinese+English, Tibetan+Nepali and Tibetan+English. This section is also on the first floor.

ISBN depository section

Ever since the T.U.Central Library started working as ISBN national agency to distribute ISBN numbers, it began to get one or two copies of the newly published books. Thus a new collection section came into being as the ‘ISBN depository section’. All these books are of Nepali origin because the place of publication being Nepal. It is a very good collection and is located on the ground floor at the far right side of the entrance hall.

Manuscripts/ TU Archive/Rare books section

T.U.Central Library has a collection of old manuscripts that have been kept preserved for over decades. At present there are 734 manuscripts in the library. In order to better preserve the manuscripts, an MoU (Memorandum of Understandings) has already been signed in February 2020 between TUCL and Centre for the Study of Manuscript Cultures (CSMC), University of Hamburg, Germany to work together for making acid-free preservation boxes to keep the manuscripts in so that the the manuscripts would be preserved safely in better way.  

Similiarly, T.U.Central library has maintained an archive of Tribhuvan University’s publications published so far since the inception of the University. The library is planning to digitize all the archived documents.

Likewise, TUCL has a collection of Rarebooks, the limited edition books that bear historical importance and cannot be found elsewhere in the market. All these three important collections have been kept in the same section with extreme care.

Audio-books section

In order to facilitate the Visually Impaired Persons (VIPs) in getting easy access to learning materials TUCL has created a collection of a few hundred Audio-books. These audiobooks are mostly in Nepali language ranging from curriculum based materials to contemporary literature. Users can get copies of the audiobooks of their choice onto their saving device and can take home for listening.

Microfilm section

Microfilming of rare and fragile documents was started in this library in 2004. Some 250 documents were already microfilmed. But since some of the microfilming equipment went out of order and some chemical ware also unavailable in the local market as well as keeping in view that at present digital copies have been replacing microfilms, the process of microfilming too has been halted for the last few years. However the stocks of microfilms that were done as mentioned above have been kept safely for use in future.

Maps collection

TUCL has a stock of valuable maps in its possession. Some of them were purchased long ago and some were donated by scholars. For example, a large geological map of Nepal prepared by the famous geologist Dr.Tony Hagen and gifted to TUCL by his daughter can be seen on the wall of the first floor. All other maps have been kept in wooden cabinets. The library is planning to digitize all the maps in the future.

Digital collection

 TUCL doesn’t have a considerable number of digital documents. However, digital copies of theses and dissertations have been growing rapidly and being uploaded onto the library’s website. The digitization of manuscripts has almost been done. Now, TUCL is considering digitization of documents of TU Archive, Rarebooks, Periodicals and Maps. In addition, the retrospective conversion of microfilms into digital copies is also being considered.   

Binding section

The library does have a small bindery where loose-leaf bindings are done. If in case the badly torn books/journals need hard binding then the library manages to get them done by sending to the nearby T.U.press. Every year the accumulated journals, magazines and newspapers are sent to the press for this purpose.