American Information resource centre

[Krisharam]

How to take membership in American Information resource centre. Is any body have in touch with this? or having memebership? so please tell me what are the process  for the membership?

[Siddhartha Shankar Ray]

Dear Sri Rama,

The American Library or American Center Library (It is no longer called AIRC after the end of Clinton Regime!)is a good library as far as the E-materials are concerned. As I personally know about the American Center Library, Kolkata, they don't have high class resources in the form of Hard copy materials in all subjects especially on Science Technology & Medicine. However, the ambiance is excellent; they have wifi system and all. In fact, Neither the American Center Library nor the British Council Library are research libraries as such. So their collection development process are different than those of Higher Academic or research Libraries. Still admittedly, they hold good collections on Management and Computer related subjects. We are having institutional membership to American Center Library Calcutta but the cards are hardly used!!
You may consult their website (American Centre have FOUR Libraries in Indian New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai & Kolkata)) As I know, the institutional Membership is Rs.4000/- for one year and Rs.7000/- for 2 years for PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS & the charges for NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS are Rs. 2000/- for One Year and Rs. 4000/- for Two Years.
The e-mail addresses & Websites are as follows:
Chennai: website: http://chennai.usconsulate.gov/irc.html
Kolkata: website: http://kolkata.usconsulate.gov/irc.html
Mumbai: website: http://mumbai.usconsulate.gov/irc.html
New Delhi: website: http://newdelhi.usconsulate.gov/irc.html

Sincerely,

Siddhartha S. Ray, Calcutta

[Siddhartha Shankar Ray]

Dear Sri Rama,

The American Library or American Center Library (It is no longer called AIRC after the end of Clinton Regime!)is a good library as far as the E-materials are concerned. As I personally know about the American Center Library, Kolkata, they don't have high class resources in the form of Hard copy materials in all subjects especially on Science Technology & Medicine. However, the ambiance is excellent; they have wifi system and all. In fact, Neither the American Center Library nor the British Council Library are research libraries as such. So their collection development process are different than those of Higher Academic or research Libraries. Still admittedly, they hold good collections on Management and Computer related subjects. We are having institutional membership to American Center Library Calcutta but the cards are hardly used!!
You may consult their website (American Centre have FOUR Libraries in Indian New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai & Kolkata)) As I know, the institutional Membership is Rs.4000/- for one year and Rs.7000/- for 2 years for PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS & the charges for NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS are Rs. 2000/- for One Year and Rs. 4000/- for Two Years.
The e-mail addresses & Websites are as follows:
Chennai: website: http://chennai.usconsulate.gov/irc.html
Kolkata: website: http://kolkata.usconsulate.gov/irc.html
Mumbai: website: http://mumbai.usconsulate.gov/irc.html
New Delhi: website: http://newdelhi.usconsulate.gov/irc.html

Sincerely,

Siddhartha S. Ray, Calcutta

[Krisharam]

Siddhartha sir ,
Thank you for the information. But our institute is like to be the member of this both .So as a member of this two you and library reader are satisfy ?
Kindly tell me so before taking membership we will also take that point in our mind.

[Siddhartha Shankar Ray]

Dear Sri Rama,
For American Libraries, you may consult their online catalogue at http://amlibindia.state.gov
If you see that their resources server your purpose, you can certainly go ahead. You can ask your academic staff to search the catalogue from the site. In case they are satisfied, you will feel yourself relieved as ultimately they are the actual users and if they are satisfied, you won't have to worry at all. I have informed you in my earlier mail about the utilization factor of our institution. If yours' is a Undergraduate College for Engineering & Management (under AICTE type)the American Libraries and BCLs are quite ok (However, my comments are based upon my experience and knowledge with the collection of BCL & AL in kolkata)
For your convenience, you please consult the requisite library and take decision accordingly.

Sincerely,

Siddhartha Shankar Ray, Calcutta