Contents: Preface. 1. First National Librarian of India. 2. Belvedere for the National Library. 3. Father of Indian National Bibliography. 4. Annexe to belvedere. 5. New vistas in documentation. 6. Achievements. Appendix: Select speeches and writings of B.S. Kesavan: National Library: 1. The National Library in new home. 2. The Indian National Library. 3. The concept of the National Library as a network institution and as a national documentation base. Indian National bibliography: 4. Organisation of national documentation and information services in India. Professionalism in Library management: 5. Presidential address at the 13 All India Library Conference, Calcutta. 6. Presidential address at the 6 IASLIC Conference, Trivandrum. Tributes to B.S. Kesavan: 7. Bengal Library Association's Tributes to B.S. Kesavan (in Bengali). Index.

"B.S.Kesavan, the First National Librarian of India, was a legend in his life-time, for his magic wand transformed the imperial library into the National Library of India in the best traditions of Indian life and culture, raising its stature on par with other National Libraries of the world. Belvedere, the mansion of Warren Hastings, the Great Governor-General of India, became in the hands of Mr. Kesavan, the finest library building for housing the priceless heritage of the nation. The reading rooms of the library were so embellished by Mr. Kesavan with plaques and portraits that the visitors were always reminded of the cultural influences exerted by the great savants of the country. P.T. Nair, the bare-foot historian of Calcutta, has tried to portray the inimitable architect of India's National Library in this work." (jacket)