SHIBPUR PUBLIC LIBRARY was established in the year 1874. From the old records and documents we have come to know that the library was first established in a room at Halderpara Lane of , Shibpur under the name of “NEWS ROOM” BY Late KANGALI CHARAN HALDER.
After two years News Room shifted to a rented room at 37 Raj Narayan Roy Chowdhury Ghat Road . Only around 7000 people were residing in Shibpur at that time. The name of the Library was changed to “ THE SHIBPUR READING ROOM” . The general people of Shibpur had shown their interest towards the Library and contributes books, periodicals etc to the Libraray . The stock of Books of different subjects, languages increased rapidly. But due to some circumstances the officials of the Library divided into two sections and library activities certainly collapsed.
To solve the problems one of the renowned citizen of Shibpur Late Roy Raj Kumar Sen Bahadur took initiative and a friendly settlement came out at last. In the year 1878 the Library Activities started again under a new name “SHIBPUR PUBLIC LIBRARY”.
In the year 1890 the first committee of the library formed. The committee selected the following persons as office bearers-
PRESIDENT : Late SRI HARI CHAKRABORTY (Sanapara)
SECRETARY : Late AGHOR NATH BANDOPADHYAY , M.A., B.L
ASST. SECRETARY : Late NANI BHUSAN SINGHA
TREASURER & ACCOUNTANT : Late RAMNATH BHATTACHARYA
The Library finally shifted to the existing address 178 Shibpur Road, Howrah 711102 in the year 1918-19. Many citizens of Shibpur as well as few organizations also extended their hand of support to build up the new Building. Late BINOD BEHARI HALDER contributed a large amount to purchase the land and build up the library building.
The Auditorium was first established in the year 1930 which was inaugurated by the then Chairman of Howrah Municipality Late BARADA PRASANNA PYNE. After a large renovation the existing HALL was established in the year 1952 by Late KIRAN CHANDRA SINGHA , on the name of his father Late NANI BHUSAN SINGHA.
The Juvenile Section of the Library was established in the year 1928 based on the proposal of Late DHRUBA KUMAR PAUL.
At present the library has two auditoriums . NANI BHUSAN SINGHA MEMORIUM HALL and SWAMI VIVEKANANDA SEMINAR HALL . The number of members of library at present around 600 and number of Books around 43,000.
The timing of the Library is every day (except Monday of every week and Holidays) 6.30 P.M. to 9 P.M.
And only Sunday Morning 7.30 A.M. to 9.00 A.M.
The timings of Juvenile section is every Thursday and Sunday 7.30 P.M. to 8.30 P.M.
The Library has extended its activities, sections by the dedicated and devoted services of many persons. Among them Late BIJOY KRISHNA BHATTACHARYA, Late PRAKRITI NATH BHATTACHARYA, Late ASHIM BANDHU HALDER are the pioneer.