Library Overview
The BITS Pilani library is housed in a state-of-the-art building, covering about 65000 sq.ft area and is located close to all academic blocks of the Institute. The library indeed is an architectural marvel with attractive palatial interiors, high ceilings, adequate natural lighting, and ventilation with several series of courtyards, with each used for different activities. Inside the library, there is a layout of natural green plants that are soothing for the eyes a seating capacity for 950 students in one go.
BITS Pilani Library aims to support the institute's teaching, learning, scholarship and research activities with specially designed information services to meet the needs of its users. The library is fully automated with RFID technology integrated with KOHA Library Software that provides Quick and efficient Circulation Operations, Enhanced Security for Library Items, Seamless Inventory Management, Exposure to the latest technology, including Touch Screen Experience for Library Staff, Students and Patrons. The Online Public Access Catalogue(OPAC) with the efficient and integrated searching facility (Discovery Tool) can be accessed through the library's interactive portal from anywhere within the campus through Wifi.
The library has a collection of over 1.82+ print books including rare books and bound volumes of journals since 1920s. Besides core subjects, the stock also covers a good blend of reference material in the form of Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, Handbooks, Yearbooks, Reports, Theses, Standards etc. The library also provides access to one million+ of eBooks titles. Library subscribes to over 40 print National and International journals. It has access to over 26500+ full-text high quality e-journals covering all branches of Basic sciences, Engineering, Management, Humanities and Social Sciences are also made available. These can also be accessed from Hostel rooms and Faculty residences. In addition to books and periodicals, the library has a good collection of non-book material to cater to the educational/academic and research needs of students as well as faculty.
In addition, the Library has a well stocked institutional repository developed using D-Space which provide access to Institute's research and academic output. Currently, this contains over 1500 by faculty publications of BITS Pilani published in national and international journals. The Institutional Repository also includes papers presented in national and international Conferences and Seminars by BITS Pilani faculty and theses.
The G D Birla Rare Books Collection has a remarkable stock of scholarly rare books, manuscripts, paintings and photographs which are timeless and invaluable. Many of these rare books are published almost about 150 and 200 years ago. The collection consists of such valuable rare books as Pancha Vimshati Sahasrika Prajnaporamita in Bhog Language , Sabda Veda: A Collection of Eleven Samhitas of Four Vedas by K. C. Kulish, Paintings from the collection of Dr. Sukarho, Reichenbachia: Orchids illustrated & described by Henry Frederick Conrad Sander, Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam Translated by Edward Fitz Gerald, Atharva-Veda Samhita by William Dwight Whitney, History of Human Marriage by Edward Wester Marck, Ramayana of Valmiki: India's National Epic by Raghu Vira, Ramayana in China by Raghu Vira & ChikyoYamamoto, Sankuntala or The lost Ring by Kalidas, Ajanta: Text and Plates by G.Yazdani, Veer Vinod (In Hindi) 4 Vols. Comprehensive History of Mewar by Shayamal Das, Barabudur by Hague, Martinus Nijoff, Mohenjo Daro & the Indus Civilization etc to name a few.
The library also has Tea/Coffee and Snack vending machines in the central Zone to help users to take study or work breaks to refocus and refuel. It also has a Photocopy cum Stationery Counter.