Library                                                            
 
 

General Information

Colonel Pyara Lal Memorial USI Library is located on the ground floor of United Service Institution of India, New Delhi. The collection consists of over 54,000 books, bound volumes, government documents, general documents and journals, including some books of 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries vintage, on an astonishing variety of subjects. While the principal emphasis is on strategy and defence, there are a large number of works on different vistas of Indian life. There are memoirs, bibliographies, recollections, diaries, journals and manuscripts. In the old books, some of the illustrations and colours are truly fascinating. An idea of the rare books can be had from 'Journal of the private Life and Conversations of the Emperor Napoleon at Saint Helene' published in 1823 in eight volumes, and 'The History of Nations' published in 1908 in 65 volumes. There are dozens of books on expeditions and adventures. The Library also has a rich collection of atlases, encyclopaedia and reference material.

The Library is air-conditioned and it has computerized its activities and services to provide fast service to the users.   In addition to books and journals, the Library has a good collection of audio/video-recorded lectures.  It issues a monthly 'Information Alert' which covers important current journal article titles and also digests and lists new additions to its book collection.

Over 200 defence and strategy related journals and magazines and leading newspapers from India and some foreign countries are provided. There is a complete section devoted to newspaper clippings of important articles on defence related subjects.

Inter-Library Cooperation

 

The Library not only  provides ready access to its collection for the users, it also draws upon the collections of other libraries through inter-library cooperation.  The Library is a member of DELNET, the largest library network in the country covering more than 800 Indian and foreign libraries.  It endeavors to meet the requirements of the users through this network also.

 

                                                            Collections

Resources

Books - Reference, General, Rare, Continental and Nations Documents.

Journals and Newspapers - Indian and Foreign.

USI Publications.

Information Alert - Monthly.

Government Documents.

Audio Cassettes.

CDs.

On line Internet Access.

DELNET.

USI Museum.

   
 

                                             Major Subject Areas

Some Important areas covered by the Library collections are as follows:                    


Books

 
  Research and Studies
 
Defence Studies - India (Army, Navy, Air Force)
Indian Armed Forces
Regimental History
Military Administration
Military History
Military Leadership
Military Logistics
Military Strategy
National and International Relations
War and Warfare
Management
Nuclear Issues
National and International Security
   
   

 

  Continent / Countries Studies
 
United Nations
European Union
SAARC
Group-Eight
Africa
Asia Central /East/West/North/South
Middle East
Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Bhutan
China
India - Jammu and Kashmir
India - North East
India - Siachen and Kargil
Iran
Iraq
Israel
Japan
Korea
Myanmar
Nepal
Pakistan
Palestine
Sri Lanka
United Kingdom
United States

 

  Reference Materials
 
Annual Plans
Annual Reports
Battle Honours
Budget
Collected Works
Development Reports
Dictionaries
Diplomatic Lists
Directories
Economic Surveys
Encyclopaedias
Five Year Plans
Gazetteers
General Orders
India: Officer Causalities
Indian Army List
Jane's Publications
Limca Books of Records
Medals
RUSI and Brassey Publications
Seaford House Papers
Speeches
Uniforms and badges
University Handbook
Who's Who
Yearbooks

 

  Academic Studies
 
Information Technology
Economy
Terrorism
Education
Fine Arts

 

  General Studies
 
Generalities
Philosophy and related disciplines
Religion
Social sciences
Language
Pure science
Technology (Applied sciences)
The Arts
Literature
General Geography and history

 

  Histories
 
World War I & II
Great Britain
India
USA
USSR (Russia)
Israel
Vietnam
Germany

 

  Wars
 
Gulf Wars
Iran - Iraq Wars
Arab - Israel Wars
Indo - Pak Wars 1965, 1971, 1999
Sino - India War 1962

 

 

The Library receives the following journals/periodicals:-

Sl No

Title

Frequency
1 Aakrosh Q
2 Adelphi Paper (UK) 8 Issues
3 Administrator Bi-A
4 AGI Journal A
5 AGNI Tri-A
6 Air & Space Power Journal (USA) Q
7 Air Power Journal Q
8 Air Power History (USA) Q
9 Alive M
10 Armed Forces and Society (USA) Q
11 Armed Forces Journal (USA) M
12 Armor and Cavalry Journal (USA) Bi-M
13 Arms Control Today (Canada) 10 Issues
14 Army Logistician Bi-M
15 Article & Web Alert Bi-M
16 Artillery Journal A
17 Asia Defence News M
18 Asian Defence Journal (Malaysia) M
19 Asian News Digest W
20 Asian Survey (USA) Bi-M
21 Australia Defence Force Journal (Australia) Tri-A
22 Baatcheet M
23 Blue Glory Q
24 Book Alert Bi-M
25 Book Review M
26 Border Affairs Q
27 British Army Review (UK) Tri-A
28 Business and Economy Fort-N
29 Business India

Fort-N

30 China Quarterly (UK) Q
31 China Report Q
32 Comparative Strategy (UK) 5 Issues
33 Covert M
34

Criterion

Q
35 Current History (USA) 9 Issues
36 Current Journal Contents M
37 Current Science Fort-N
38 Custodian

A

39 Defence and Security Analysis (UK) Q
40 Defence and Technology Bi-M
41 Defence Digest

Bi-M

42 Defence Management Bi-A
43 Defense News (USA) W
44 Defence Science Journal Bi-M
45 Defence Technology Tri-A
46 Defence Watch M
47 Defense Nationale et Securite Collective 11 Issues
48 Delnet News Letter Bi-A
49 Dialogue Q
50 Dogs & Pups Bi-M
51 DRDO Newsletter M
52 Durbar (UK) Q
53 Economic and Political Weekly W
54 Economist (UK)

W

55 Eternal India M
56 Flight International (UK) W
57 Force M
58 Foreign Affairs (USA) Bi-M
59 Foreign Policy (USA) Bi-M
60 Friday Times (Pakistan) W
61 Frontline

Fort-N

62 Himal South Asia (Nepal)

M

63 India Quarterly Q
64 India Safe M
65 India Strategic M
66 India Today W
67 Indian Defence Review Q
68 Indian Ex-Serviceman M
69 Indian Foeign Affaires Journal Q
70 Indian Journal of Asian Affairs Bi-A
71 Indian Police Journal Q
72 Infantry India Bi-A
73 Information Alert (USI) M
74 International Aerospace Bi-M
75 International Affairs (UK) 5 Issues
76 International Atomic Energy Agency Bulletin (Austria) Bi-A
77 International Civil Aviation Organization (Canada)

Bi-M

78 International Peacekeeping (UK) 5 Issues
79 International Security (USA) Q
80 International Strategic Studies (China) Q
81 International Studies

Q
 

82 ISS Paper (South Africa) Fort-N
83 Issues and Studies (Taiwan) Q
84 J&K Human Rights Bi-M
85 Jane's Defence Weekly (UK) W
86 Jane's International Defence Review (UK) M
87 Jane's Navy International (UK) M
88 Joint Force Quarterly (USA) Q
89 Journal of Defence Studies Q
90 Journal of Imperial & Commonwealth History (UK) Tri-Q
91 Journal of Indian Ocean Studies Tri-A
92 Journal of Military History (USA) Q
93 Journal of Parliamentary Information Q
94 Journal Peace Studies Bi-M
95 Journal of  the Society for Army Historical Research (UK) Q
96 Journal of South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (USA) Q
97 Journal of Strategic Studies (UK) Q
98 Journal of the Army Philatelic Society Q
99 Journal of the Australian Naval Institute (Australia) Q
100 Journal of the Royal Artillery (UK) Bi-A
101 Kashmir Trends

W

102 Mainstream

W

103 Maritime Affairs Bi-A
104 Medical Journal Armed Forces India Q
105 Middle East Journal (USA) Q
106 Military Balance (UK) A
107 Military Law Journal Bi-A
108 Military Review (USA) Bi-M
109 Military Technology (Germany) M
110 Modern Asian Studies (USA) Q
111 N.D.C. Journal A
112 N.D.C. Papers Tri-A
113 National Geographic (USA)

M

114 Naval Forces (Netherland) Bi-M
115 Naval Review (UK) Q
116 Naval War College Review (USA) Q
117 New York Review of Books (USA) Fort-N
118 News from China M
119 Newsweek (USA) W
120 Orbis (USA) Q
121 Outlook W
122 Pacific Affairs (Canada) Q
123 Parameters (USA) Q
124 Pinnacle Bi-A
125 Politics & Policy (USA)

Q

126 Pratividrohi Bi-A
127 Proceedings (USA) M
128 Quarterdeck A
129 Regional Studies (Pakistan) Q
130 Regulateri (Membership) Q
131 Resources Energy and Development (Membership) Bi-A
132 Review of International Affairs(Belgrade) Q
133 Review of International Studies (USA) Q
134 Rotor India Q
135 Royal Engineers Journal (UK) Tri-A
136 RUSI Defense Systems (UK) Tri-A
137 RUSI Journal (UK) Bi-M
138 RUSI News Brief (UK) M
139 RUSI Quarterly (Australia)

Q

140 SAIL News Q
141 Sainik Samachar Fort-N
142 Salute Fort-N
143 Scientific American India

M

144 Seminar M
145 Signalman Tri-A
146 Small Wars and Insurgencies (UK) Q
147 Social Scientist Bi-M
148 South African Journal of International Affairs   (S. Africa) Bi-A
149 South Asia Defence Strategic Review Bi-M
150 South Asia Politics M
151 South Asia Security Trends M
152 South Asian Journal (Pakistan) Q
153 Space India Bi-A
154 SPAN Bi-M
155 SP's Aviation Journal M
156 SP's Land Forces Bi-M
157 Strategic Affairs M
158 Strategic Analysis Bi-M
159 Strategic Digest M
160 Strategic Studies (Pakistan) Q
161 Strategic Survey (UK) A
162 Survival (UK)

Bi-M

163 Technology Focus

Bi-M

164 Tehelka W
165 TERI Information Digest On Energy Environment Q
166 TERI Newswire Fort-N
167 Teriscope Q
168 Terra Green Q
169 Third Concept M
170 Time (USA)

W

171 Trishul Bi-A
172 USI Digest Bi-A
173 USI Journal Q
174 UN Newsletter

M

175 Vayu Bi-M
176 War College Journal Bi-A
177 War in History (USA) Q
178 Washington Quarterly (USA) Q
179 Week W
180 World Affairs Q
181 World Affairs (USA) Q
182 World Focus M
183 World Policy Journal (USA)

Q

184 World Today (UK) M
185 Yojana M



 

Newspapers Received in the USI LIBRARY

1. Asian Age Daily
2. Business Line Daily
3. Daily News & Analysis Daily
4 Economic Times Daily
5 Financial Express Daily
6 Hindu Daily
7 Hindustan Times Daily
8 India abroad Weekly
9 Indian Express Daily
10 International Herald Tribune Daily
11 Mail Today Daily
12 Island (Sri Lanka) Daily
13 Mint Daily
14 Pioneer Daily
15 Statesman Daily
16 The Tribune Daily
17. Times of India Daily

Photocopying Facilities

                                                                    

Copying of Library material is subject to the Copyright Law and other restrictions, since it prevents Library staff to provide copying of an entire book demanded by a member / user.
The photocopying facilities are available for users as per the Library Rules.  For Library members, Re 0.65 per copy and for non-members, Re 1:00 per copy will be charged in cash. A maximum of 30 pages are allowed to be photocopied for a member in one day, provided the document being photocopied is not likely to be damaged by opening in full.
 

                                                 Rare Books

The Library's Rare Collections  are a repository of the Armed Forces, academic, historical material, historical photographs, maps, prints and artifacts. Access to this collection is available only with  prior permission of the USI Librarian.

 

 

Cyber Centre

Internet facility is available free of cost only for members. Members can use the Library database (OPAC) using the guidelines displayed in the Cyber Centre.
 

USI Museum

It has a treasured collection of medals displayed in the Library hall duly captioned, dating from the beginning of the East India Company's campaigns. It can  be viewed by members.
 

Circulation

Check-in/out timings for using the Library are as follows:-

                            Monday to Saturday - 1000 hrs to 1630 hrs
                            Every third Saturday - 1000 hrs to 1500 hrs
                                  (Lunch Break 1300hrs to 1345hrs)
                                 

Also, Circulation Counter does not function  from 1300 hrs to 1345 hrs. The Library remains closed on Sundays and gazetted holidays.

Members are allowed to draw two books at a time for a period of four weeks on their Membership Card. New books are issued only for two weeks. Books are to be drawn and returned personally or through authorized representatives, but never through post or courier.

USI Research Fellows may be permitted by the Librarian, on request, to draw up to four books at a time for a period of one month during the currency of their fellowship, if they are member.

The following documents are not issued :-

(a) 

Reference Books and other reference material.

(b) 

Books more than 30 years old. Exceptions may be made by Deputy Director and Editor/Librarian

(c)

Rare Books.

(d)   

Magazines / Journals / Newspapers - Issued only for overnight to members.

Reservations

If a book is not available for issue, it may be got reserved by the member by getting the entry made in the computer at the Circulation Counter. Telephone No. and address of the member should be got entered to facilitate action.

Members are expected to handle the books, pages of  documents with care, and not mark anything (even in pencil).


Delay in Returning Books

After the due date of return, a telephonic message, or a letter if necessary, will be sent to the member concerned to return the book immediately. If the book is still not received within a week of this reminder, the matter will be brought to the notice of the Deputy Director and Editor for further necessary action.

Loss of Books by Members

If a book is lost by a member or if he fails to return it for two months, the cost will be recovered from the member as under:-
 

(a)

If available in market - full replacement cost + 25 per cent.

(b)

If not available in market and printing date within 10 years - Twice the publishers' price.

(c)    

If not available in market and printing date more than 10 years old - Four times the publishers' price.

                                                Suggestion Books

To facilitate the members two registers are kept on the Library counter, one for suggesting books / Journals for purchase and the other for suggestions/improvement in the functioning of the Library. The registers are regularly  put up to the Deputy Director and Editor/Director for necessary further action.

 

For Further Information, Please Contact:

Librarian
United Service Institution of India
Rao Tula Ram Marg
Opposite Signal Enclave, Vasant Vihar,
New Delhi-110057
Tel 26151783, 26146755/Extns. 105, 108/Fax : 26149773
Email library@usiofindia.org
Website: www.usiofindia.org

 


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