The Science and Engineering Collection which came into existence in its current organizational format in July 2000, is a collection of materials on the following disciplines: Agriculture, Chemical Processing, Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering (General), Forestry, Geology, Marine Sciences, Library Science, Mathematics, Medicine, Metallurgy, Nursing, Physics, Science (General) and Zoology. It consists of monographs, reports and serials in these disciplines.

Physically, the Collection is divided into 2 sections: an open access section consisting of monographs and serials, and a closed access section which houses the Special Reserve Collection. The serials are open access but again must be read only in the closed section. Current issues of some 163 serial titles are displayed as a form of current awareness service. Each of the sections has a large reading area in addition to the shelved monographs and serials

The Collection offers the following services:

(i) Information to readers
There is a formal Orientation Programme offered to First year students (Freshers), at the beginning of each academic year. This programme introduces the students to the Collection and registers them so that they can avail themselves of the services. Further information services are offered as requested by the users.

(ii) Online Public Access Catalogs (OPACs)
Access to the materials in the Collection is through OPACS, which were introduced in the academic year 2000/2001. Both monographs and serials including details of the holdings can be accessed through OPACs.

(iii) Loans of Materials
Loans are available for books on open access. The normal loan period is three weeks for students and faculty. The number of loans per user varies ranging from 5 books for undergraduates, 10 per post-graduate student and 20 per faculty member.

(iv) Issue of Special Reserve Materials
Materials from the Special Reserve Collection must be read within the Collection and are issued on short loan periods of two to four hours. There is a great demand for these materials since they are core reading materials that are available to a wide section of the students in the above mentioned disciplines. These materials are too expensive to be purchased individually.

(v) Production of Accession Bulletins
The Collection produces an Accessions Bulletin regularly to inform faculty and students about new materials that have been added to the Collection. Some of the Accessions Bulletins have a supplement on the most recent serial titles on a selected topic.

(vi) CD-ROM and On-Line Databases
CD-ROM and Electronic databases are currently available in the Reference Department. CD-ROMs which cover the above mentioned disciples include: Compendex Plus, GEOBASE, LISA, Life Sciences Collection, POPLINE, TROPAG and RURAL, Environmental Abstracts, Applied Science and Technoogy Index, Derwent Biotechnology Abstracts, ISMEC and Science Citation Index.