A significant change has taken place in the department of Tibetan manuscripts. The Dewey Decimal system of cataloguing and classification was deemed inadequate. This was so due to the increasing number of Tibetan books, xylographs and microfiche copies of rare manuscripts and documents, as well as to the complexities of the Tibetan system of manuscript and book arrangement, as for instance, a Tibetan volume (pothi) would consist of several works on different subjects, and by different authors. A new system of cataloguing and classification, devised by the Library, was introduced to provide better reference services for general readers and research scholars alike. Under this new system, which incorporates a number of concepts from other systems of Library science, a classification according to the subject of the acquired text is catalogued under its full title, short title, author and subject. Besides, it provides card catalogues for cross reference. So far, approximately 12,400 Tibetan books and manuscripts have catalogued in this manner.

The Private Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama has loaned the Library 168 volumes of the Peking edition of the Ka-gyur and Tan-gyur. These 168 volumes , along with 299 volumes of the Cone-Tan-gyur have been sources of great referential interest, help and guidance to research scholars.

The Embassy of Outer Mongolia loaned the Library two rare manuscripts: History of Vinaya and General Introduction to Buddhist Tantra. They have since been returned with gratitude. The Library looks forward to future loans and exchange of manuscripts from Outer Mongolia.

The Education Department of the Royal Govt. of Bhutan has loaned two rare manuscripts on Tibetan lyrical poetry, composed by Rinpung Ngawang Jigda, youngest prince of Rinpung Ngawang Namgyal and ruler of 16th Century Tibet. These two manuscripts are now ready for publication.

Kyirong Lama Kunsang of Mainpat Tibetan Settlement has loaned a total of 41 Tibetan manuscripts on various subjects for a period of three years.

Under the exchange programme, the Library has received 50 copies of the History of Tibet by Pa'o Tsug-lag from the Library of Loling Datzang, Mysore. This is in exchange for the History of Vinaya published by the Library.

We are grateful to Mr.Densapa of Sikkim for permitting our research scholars the use of his rich and extensive library on Tibetan books and manuscripts.

By 1977 out of 33,621 draft classification of Tibetan books and manuscripts completed up to March 1977 3,031 has been actually catalogued. In pursuance of the instructions given by the Governing Body of the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives and the Review Committee, Government of India, conscientious efforts are being made for an early completion of the work of cataloguing and classifying. However, in view of the complex nature of work, specially with Tibetan manuscripts, the work seems a long-drawn-on process. Most of the existing systems of classification and cataloguing does not suit the Tibetan books and manuscripts. A total of 128 reprint editions of rare Tibetan books and manuscripts reproduced by various individuals and organisations, worth Rs.1,040.00 were purchased.

During 1978, about 23,000 books and manuscripts have been classified and catalogued so far. In line with the policy framed by the Government of India, the LTWA has received instructions from the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to list the handwritten manuscripts in the Tibetan Books and Manuscripts Department with are as follows:

1. 119 volumes of handwritten bKa'-gyur
2. One volume of handwritten gSer-'os dam-pa
3. One handwritten volume with gold ink of rDo-rje gchos-pa

This Department has been collecting legal documents, decrees and proclamations etc. which will be of inestimable value of future researchers in the field of Tibet's legal system and history. During 1977, the department obtained 24 legal documents and decrees mostly relating to Ngari Chosgyal and Sakya Phakpa period.

We perennially indebted to R.B. Bermick Athing T.D. Densepa for making a permanent gift of forty-seven rare and invaluable Tibetan manuscripts. These are from his personal library collection which is world renowned. a top-ranking personality of Sikkim, Bermick Athing is known for his brilliant erudition and scholarship in Tibetology. His literary attainments are as colourful as his accomplishments in many other fields of life. This thoughtful gift of his will benefit a great many people. About 300 Tibetan books and manuscripts have been obtained on donation from Sakya Dhagtri Rinpoche, Dr. Lokesh Chandra (M.P.), Gaden Society, Varanasi, and Gelong Lobsang Tenzin of A.I.R. and Mr. Tashi Tsering, Research Officer of LTWA, from the fabulous and renowned collections of Rai Bahadur T.D. Densepa (Bermick Athing of Sikkim).

380 books and manuscripts have been purchased during 1978 covering such subjects as history, biography, collected works of Tibetan scholars, doctrinal and philosophical treatises, works on Tantra, and Training of the Mind, grammar, poetry, medicine and the science and arts, etc. 47 books on Bon (the earliest native religion of Tibet) culture, religious practices and history. A Japanese edition of Tuan Huang Documents relating of Tibetan History. About 300 books and manuscripts have been obtained on donation from Kueger Yigtsang, Kyabje Dingo Khyentse Rinpoche for donating all the 31 issues of the rare series of Tsurphu edition of Rinchen Terzod; Khentri Tenzin Namdak of Solan Bonpo Settlement for donating 105 manuscripts and books on the religious, history and culture of Bon and Bonpos; Zongtse Rinpoche of the University of Gottingen, West Germany, for donating the French edition of Tuan Huang Documents relating to the History of Tibet, published in Paris.

In accordance with the instruction of the LTWA Governing Body and the Government of India Review Committee, 33621 books and manuscripts have been catalogued. Out of this, 3031 have been classified. The Library has devised its own classification system based on concepts borrowed from both the traditional and modern systems. Its efficient workability has found appreciation from many librarians.

Centuries of cultural and spiritual links bind Russia and Mongolia with Tibet. Rare and old Tibetan books and manuscripts dealing with philosophy, metaphysics, astrology, medicine, history etc. still abound in the archives and libraries of Russia and Mongolia. taking into consideration the worth of such rare manuscripts and the ancient cultural and spiritual links between the countries, we have requested the Government of India for possible exchange of scholars and manuscripts between the countries under the Cultural Exchange Programme of India. The Government of India has considered this programme from which, opened a new horizon in the world of Tibetan studies.

Every effort is being made to publish the catalogue of the Collected Works (gSung-'bum) in the possession of the Tibetan Manuscripts Department.

Our proposal on the efforts to acquire Tibetan manuscripts and books from the libraries attached to monasteries and institutions in Mongolia has been processed and included in the programme of Cultural Exchange between the Government of India and Mongolia. The Govt. of India has already sent a detailed document to the authorities in Ulan Bator through the Mongolian Embassy in New Delhi.

The LTWA has book exchange programme with the Tibet House in New Delhi, the International Academy of Indian Culture, New Delhi, the National Library of the Royal Government of Bhutan and Ladakh Mentsi Seyrig Penzod Khang, Ladakh.

114 volumes of the collected works of bo doing phyogs las rnam rgyal were received in exchange from the Tibet House, New Delhi. A complete set of the collected works of Yongs' dzin ye sey rgya tsen, 5 volume collected works of Dharma Bhadra, collected works of ra sgreng ngag dbang blob bzang, biography of zin gnon dbang rgyal rdo rje, strong nid bdun cu pa dang rtzo dzog gcod were also received in exchange from Tibet House.

From the National Library of Royal Government of Bhutan five different manuscript were received in exchange. 1. Lho'i chos 'byung bstan pa rin po che's 'phro mthud 'jam mgon somn mth's 'phreng ba by dge bshes bre phug pa dge 'dun rin chen, 2. Pad gling nor rgyam chos srung, 3. Ro dngos grub cen gyi sgrung le'u bdun, 4. Mgon po phyag bzhi pa lha ming gi bsnyen sgrub, 5. kLong chen mdzod bdun and 19 other titles. From the International Academy of Indian culture, New Delhi, some of three publications were received on an exchange. 1. 7 volume collected works of rgyal dbang sku phreng bcu gsum pa thub bstan rgya mthso. 2. 4 volume collected works of Jaya pandita blo bzang 'phrin las, 3. 2 volume bk'a gdam pha chos dang bu chos.

The Tibetan Books and Manuscript Library has undertaken a long term project of preparing a comparative catalogue of the different editions snar thang, lha sa, sde dge, li thang, co ni, pe king of ka 'a' gyur and bstan 'gyur. It will be trilingual (Tibetan, English and Sanskrit) the first 15 volumes.Former Librarian Jampa Samten shastri has devoted a major part of his time to its study and preparation. Presently, he is in Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, Varanasi. The Second volume was complied and designed on Macintosh by Tibetan Manuscript Assistant Librarian Lobsang Shastri. 3242 card catalogues covering 109 titles have been completed in 1987-88.The cataloguing of our collection of Bonpo literature had presented great difficulties but these were overcome with the temporary appointment of a young Bonpo geshe, Ven. Tenzin Wangyal. He has already completed the preliminary cataloguing of the entire collection of Bonpo works in our Manuscripts Room. This will be published as soon as the Tibetan calligraphy and indexing are done, probably in mid-1990.

During 1992-1996, the LTWA Tibetan Manuscript Library's Assistant Librarian Mr. Lobsang Shastri and LTWA Foreign Language Reference Library's Assistant Librarian Mr. Pema Yeshi, Computer Analyst Mr. Tashi Dhendup and Mr. Jigme Tsering has visited various Libraries and Institutions to check the different computer systems and applications. Thereafter, the report was presented to LTWA Director Gyatsho Tshering. We have finalised that Tibetan Manuscript Library Department will use the System for Library Information Management (SLIM), developed by Mr.& Mrs. Gaikaiwari, Algorithms at Pune. Slim is base on American Anglo System. That was the first Library Software being used online Tibetan Traditional Sorting. The sorting was based on GIST Card technology, and it was developed at Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, (CDAC), Department of Electronic, Govt. of India, Pune University Campus, Ganesh Khind, Pune-7 with kind assistance of Mr.Moham Tambe, GIST Group Coordinator, Mr.Shashank Bhatt. DRM, Gist Group, and LTWA Computer analyst, Mr.Tashi Dhendup, based on (Tibetan Standard Code for Information Interchange (TSCII). Using Gist-card technology, multi-language data entry can be achieved.

Using SLIM, Title, Author and Subject indexing and printing the standard cards are also possible. The Data entry procedures are: 1. Prepared the DATA SHEET for each entry. 2. Verified by the Assistant Librarian and 3. Entered into SLIM Database. SLIM facilitates the general public to view Online Public Access Cataloguing (OPAC).

Microfilming Project

Though we already have a substantial collection of Tibetan materials on microfilm, we do not yet have copies of everything that is available. The microfilming project was started not only to preserve our own manuscripts collection in microfilm form, but especially with aim of obtaining microfilm copies of rare and important manuscripts and documents held in other collections.

We have an ongoing exchange programme with The Institute for Advanced Studies of World Religions, New York, USA, to exchange microfilm copies of relevant materials/documents in our respective collections. To start with we have been able to microfilm all the 120 volumes (350 folios per volume in average) of the extremely rare 16th century calligraphed manuscript of the Tibetan Tripitika from the Library of Phudrag monastery in western Tibet and now in our possession. The exposed films were sent to the Institute of Advanced Studies of World Religion, New York, for processing as we do not have the technical facilities for processing them.

One of our scholars, on visits to Leningrad and Warsaw, located for us three almost extinct 14th century Tibetan texts on the meditative practice of Mahamudra, Cakrasamvara and Avalokitesvara, and acquired microfilm copies of them. Modality for the exchange of microfilm copies with the Leningrad State Library is being worked out.

In November 1988, two of our scholars, Ven. Yeshi Lodoe Tulku and Mr. Losang Shastri, visited Calcutta and conducted a survev of Tibetan collections in the National Library, The Asiatic society, University of Calcutta, VisvaBharati University and The Mahabodhi Society. Except for a text on the history of Nyening monastery of Gyangtse in the Asiatic Society, no other useful works were located. A microfilm copy of this text is being acquired for us.

The LTWA in collaboration with the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, Varanasi, made an attempt to microfilm the Tibetan collections of late Rahul Sanskritayan which is preserved in the Bihar Research society, Patna, and which has remained totally inaccessible so far. Inspite of our efforts and the intervention of the Central Government the projected proposal could not materialise. And, now we hear that the Bihar Research Society has entered into an agreement with the Naritasan Institute for Buddhist Studies of Japan to microfilm and publish the collection.

During 1989 we plan to make microfilm copies of the rare manuscripts in our own collection beginning with the 16 volumes of handwritten manuscript of 'buni, which was commissioned in the 15th century by Tsagtra, Chief of eastern Kongpo, Tibet.

We have also contacted the India Office Library and Records section of the British Library, London, and have been able to obtain a listing of about 100 pages of important documents dating from 18th century onwards, but due to the huge cost involved in actually obtaining microflim copies of them, the work had to be halted fo the time being.

For further information contact:

The secretary

Library of Tibetan Works and Archives
Dharamsala - 176215, H.P.
(INDIA)
Phone: +91-1892-22467
Fax:+91-1892-23723
E-mail: ltwa@ndf.vsnl.net.in

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Last updated: 6-Mar-2000