Goa State Central Library

Goa State Central Library (renamed the Krishnadas Shama Central Library in 2012) is the main library in the former Portuguese colony of Goa. It is located in Panjim (Panaji) and its website claims that it is the first public library to be set up across India, in the early 1830s.

According to its official site, it is "the oldest Public Library in India" having been set up on 15 September 1832 in then Portuguese-ruled Goa by Vice Roy Dom Manuel de Portugal e Castro as the Publica Livraria of the Academia Militar de Goa (Military Training Institute). In 1836 the name was changed to Bibliotheca Publica. It was enriched with the repository transferred from the convents run by religious orders that had been suppressed in the 1834.

In 1836 itself, the library was shifted to premises where the Municipal proceedings were held. In 1870, it was named as the Biblotheca Publica da Nova Goa. The library was raised to the status of a National Library and renamed as Bibliotheca Nacional de Nova Goa in February 1897. Later it was renamed as the Bibliotheca National Vasco da Gama.

By a decree dated March 18, 1956, the Privilege of Deposited Legal was made applicable to this library, making it entitled to all publications from Portugal and her overseas colonies. After functioning as an annex of the Institute, it was open for about 35 years. Kakodkar says that from September 1959, the library was put under the direct administrative control of the Services de Instruccao e Saude (Education and Health Services).

In the past, the library's collection consisted mainly of books in Portuguese, French, Spanish, Latin, English. A catalogue of the library was printed in 1907. Later, a card catalogue of the author, title and cross-reference were prepared.

In March 1925 it became part of the Instituto Vasco da Gama, an academic-cultural institution, and was renamed as the Biblioteca Nacional Vasco da Gama. By Decree Law 38684 of March 18, 1952, the Deposito Legal (Delivery Act) was made applicable to this library, according to its official website.

Resultantly, the library received all publications from Portugal and her overseas Provinces. From September 1959, the Bibliotheca was separated from the Institute and placed under the administrative control of Servicos de Instruccao e Saude (Education and Health Services) and renamed as Biblioteca Nacional de Goa.

On the completion of its 175th year, a first-day postal cover was released by the Government of India's Department of Posts.

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Wikipedia