Panjab University Library, officially named A. C. Joshi Library, is named after an illustrious Vice-Chancellor of the University. It was established in the U.S. Club, Shimla in 1947 after the Partition of the country.

The University began shifting its offices to Chandigarh, the new capital of Punjab, during 1955–56. The foundation stone of the present Library building was laid in 1958 by Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, then Vice-President of India. The Library in its new premises was formally inaugurated in 1963 by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India.

The impressive five-storeyed building, constructed in red stone and concrete, is based on modern architectural principles. Its modular and functional design ensures efficient library planning:

• Reading areas face North

• Staff area is located on the South side

• Stack area lies in between

The two main reading halls face the Shivalik Hills, offering panoramic natural views.

The Library is centrally air-conditioned, fully networked, and houses more than 8 lakh volumes with seating for 500 readers. In addition to the main halls, facilities include:

• Periodicals Reading Room

• Textbook Section Reading Room (~650 readers capacity)

• Newspaper Section

• Outer Reading Hall (for personal books)

• 90 lockers for teachers and research scholars

The collection exceeds 8 lakh publications, including:

• Books

• Bound journals

• Theses & dissertations

• Rare books

• Government documents

• Reports

• Newspaper archives

• 1492 manuscripts (rare collection)

Digital & Online Resources

The Library is fully computerized, and its holdings can be searched via Web OPAC. Catalogue access terminals are available at:

• Reference Hall

• Transfer Cell

• Near Circulation Section

The reference collection is continuously updated.

The Library subscribes to:

• 312 current periodicals (many with online access)

• 15,000+ peer-reviewed online journals

• 14 bibliographical databases via e-ShodhSindhu Consortium (INFLIBNET)

These e-resources can be accessed through:

• Campus network

• Remote access facility

Additional online resources are accessible through the Library website:

library.puchd.ac.in

Currently subscribed 20 online databases include:

• ScienceDirect

• Scopus

• IEEE

• ACM Digital Library

• Institute of Physics

• EBSCO

• ProQuest Dissertations & Theses

• Indiastat

• Districts of India

• and others

The Library also provides Remote Access Facility to all e-resources, including the online catalogue, accessible via the e-library link on the website. It has also acquired a collection of e-books from reputed publishers.

Library at a Glance