Centre of South Asian Studies

• Collection Details
• Description of Collection
• Subjects of the Collection
• Collection Material and Size of Collection
• Collection Management Information
• Collection Catalogue Information

Collection Details

Centre of South Asian Studies held at University of Cambridge South Asian Studies Centre Library [Institution record]

• Collection home page
• Opening hours
• Access regulations

Description of Collection

Content description

The library contains almost 40,000 items, including c.25,000 monographs and c.5,500 serial volumes. It currently takes 157 serial titles and retains 220 non-current ones. In addition, the Centre houses an archive of unique materials relating to the European connection with South and Southeast Asia over the past 200 years. This includes c. 600 written collections, 40 collections of cine-film in 200 reels (now mostly viewable on DVD), 80,000 photographs and 275 taped interviews.

History and development

The Centre of South Asian Studies was established in May 1964, responsible for promoting within the University the study of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Himalayan Kingdoms and Burma [Myanmar]. Over the last twenty years, it has extended its activities to include Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, the Philippines and Hong Kong. The Centre collects material about South and Southeast Asia primarily in the areas of history, economics, politics, geography and anthropology, but secondarily in the areas of religion, archaeology, architecture, literature, film and popular culture. The Centre purchases material directly from South and Southeast Asia whenever possible, thereby promoting the dissemination of knowledge in those regions.

Strengths

Asian newspapers (historical and contemporary), Government records (primarily on microfilm), Amateur cine-films taken by Britons in 1920s - 1940s (most now viewable in the library on DVD), Archival papers and memoirs - mainly of British officers who served in the region from the 18th to 20th centuries.

General arrangement and access regulations

A reference collection: Books and Periodicals are stored in two open access sequences. Books are arranged by country and region using Universal Decimal Classification; Periodicals are arranged alphabetically by title.The following collections are housed in closed access stores: Official Publications, Dead Periodicals, Occasional Papers, Manuscript Archives, Photographs, Film and Audio Archives.

Subjects of the Collection

Regions of Asia

East Asia, South Asia, South East Asia.

Countries

Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, East Timor, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, The Philippines, Vietnam.

Languages of material

English.

Subjects

Agriculture, Anthropology, Archaeology, Arts, Communication and media, Development, Economics, Geography, History, Human rights, International relations, Literature, Politics and government, Religion, Sociology, Women.

Collection Material and Size of Collection

Material Types

Archival materials (includes non-published & mixed material), Audio materials (includes cassettes & CDs), Books, Manuscripts, Maps (includes all types of cartographic material), Official publications, Serials, Theses, Visual materials (includes photographs, prints, drawings, videos & films).

Total size of collection

25,000 monographs, 5,500 serial volumes, 2,000 pamphlets, 10,000 microforms, 336 linear metres of written archival collections, 200 reels of cine-film, 80,000 photographs and 275 audio cassettes.

Collection Management Information

Annual intake

157 serial volumes, 500 books, 143 pamphlets, 44 microfiche.

Content date range

0 to 0 AD

Interlibrary loan procedure

Photocopies of periodical articles may be supplied as part of the British Library Document Supply Service.

Collection Catalogue Information

Catalogue

The Centre's periodicals are listed on the Union List of Serials, searchable from the University Library's website (http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk). The Centre's books, pamphlets, occasional papers and official publications are included in the University Library's Union catalogue (http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk). Handlists to archival collections are browseable from the Centre's own website (http://www.s-asian.cam.ac.uk). In addition, searchable databases to the Centre's map, photograph and film collections are under preparation and may be searched from the Centre's website.

© NACIRA