Technical Processing Section
The Technical Processing Section is an integral component of the library and serves as the link between collection development and the effective utilisation of library resources. Following the acquisition of books and other information resources, this section undertakes the technical procedures required to organise, describe, and prepare materials for user access.
- 1
Acquisition of Resources
Books · Journals · E-Books
- 2
Classification
DDC 21
- 3
Metadata Creation
Cataloguing
- 4
Physical Processing
Barcode · Spine Label · Stamping · Covering
- 5
RFID Processing
Tagging · Re-tagging · Verification
- 6
Quality Control
Record Verification
- 7
Library Resources Ready
Circulation & discovery
Maintenance Section
The Maintenance Section is responsible for the systematic arrangement, preservation, and upkeep of the library's physical collections to ensure their long-term accessibility and usability. Documents are organized and maintained in the classified sequence according to the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system, facilitating efficient retrieval and shelf management. The library follows an Open Access System, enabling users to browse and access resources directly from the shelves.
- Shelf reading, shelf rectification, and stack maintenance
- Physical preservation: cleaning, dusting, minor repairs, and binding coordination
- Barcode and RFID tag verification, spine label maintenance, and protective covering
- Periodic stock verification, shifting of collections, and weeding as per library policy
Circulation Section
This section performs the job of issue and return of documents, renewal of loan period, fine collection for delayed return of books, and membership management functions. It is also possible to reserve a book that is currently on loan through this section. The Circulation Section maintains accurate transaction records using the Library Management System (LMS), ensuring efficient tracking of borrowed and returned materials.
- Assistance with borrowing privileges, loan policies, and overdue notifications
- Circulation statistics and reports for administration and collection management
Reference Section
The Reference Section maintains a comprehensive collection of encyclopaedias, handbooks, dictionaries, reports, theses, dissertations, maps, textbooks, and other valuable reference resources. These materials are available for consultation within the library to support the academic, research, and information needs of students, faculty, and researchers. The section also provides personalized reference and information assistance.
Periodicals Section
The Periodicals Section forms a major reading and reference resource for the college community. It subscribes to a wide range of engineering and multidisciplinary journals and also receives a significant number of journals on a complimentary basis. In addition, the library subscribes to several popular magazines covering current affairs, science, technology, management, and general interest.
Book Bank Scheme
The SC/ST Book Bank maintains a well-organized collection of the latest textbooks procured under the SC/ST Book Bank Scheme of the Government of Kerala. The facility is exclusively available to students belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities. Books are issued for an extended loan period in accordance with the library rules and institutional guidelines. The collection is regularly updated to include the latest editions of prescribed textbooks for various engineering disciplines.
Binding Section
The TKM College of Engineering Central Library is one of the few academic libraries in Kerala with a fully equipped in-house book binding unit. As and when books are damaged due to regular use, they are withdrawn from circulation, repaired, and rebound to extend their service life. Journals and periodicals are systematically bound after the completion of each volume. The Binding Section undertakes preventive maintenance and restoration of books, theses, dissertations, reports, and other valuable documents.
AROMA Learning Space
The AROMA learning space is a dedicated section of the Central Library and Information Centre, designed to support students preparing for competitive examinations. It offers a focused study environment and a collection of resources for various competitive exams. A special section is exclusively maintained for Civil Service aspirants, providing essential reference materials for UPSC, KAS and related examinations.
Digital Library
The Digital Library of TKM College of Engineering provides seamless access to a wide range of electronic information resources to support teaching, learning, research, and innovation. It offers access to subscribed e-journals, e-books, databases, standards, and open-access resources through a modern digital learning environment. Off-campus access is available to authorized users through a secure remote access portal. The Digital Library is integrated with Koha and DSpace for the Institutional Repository.
- IEEE, ScienceDirect (Elsevier), Springer, ASME, ASCE, EBSCO
- DELNET and N-LIST
- NPTEL video lectures, National Digital Library of India (NDLI)
- Shodhganga, Project Gutenberg, and curated open-access platforms
Research and Publication Division
The Research & Publication Division of the Central Library is dedicated to supporting the research, innovation, and scholarly publication activities of faculty members, research scholars, and students. The division provides value-added research support services, including plagiarism detection using Turnitin, guidance on scholarly publishing, journal selection, citation and referencing assistance, research impact awareness, and access to research information resources.
