Mumbai (PTI): Around eight lakh rare books, journals and manuscripts at the University of Mumbai Library will get a new lease of life under the 'Comprehensive Preservation Programme'.

The 125-year-old University library, in collaboration with Tata Consultancy Services and a full-fledged preservation lab, has been set up by the city-based service provider company Sarvottam Infotech under the leadership of the historian Dr Amol Shripad Divakar, University's deputy Registrar Aashutosh R Rathod said.

Under this preservation programme, the latest technique of 'Japanese Tissue Lamination' has been implemented and the qualified team functions along the conservation guidelines stipulated by UNESCO, he said.

The rare books dating from 1550 A D onwards have been undertaken for preservation and the conservation team has already digitised over 100 rare books of the University Library since January this year, Rathod said.

"Moreover, the books have been scanned and data stored on DVDs and this metadata will be made available for research to students and scholars," he added.