13 Public Libraries Acts Enacted between 1970s and 1980s

Dr P S G Kumar

    1.1 WEST BENGAL

 

1.1.1 Effort by Munindra Deb Rai Mahasay

 

Kumar Munindra Deb Rai Mahasay of Bansberia Raj, a pioneer of Indian Library movement was, a lover of books and libraries. He attended the First All Asia Educational Conference held at Banaras during 26-30 December 1930, wherein Ranganathan presented his Model Library Bill. After returning from Banaras, he made certain modifications to suit Bengal and tried to introduce the same in Bengal Legislative Council of which he was a member. Unfortunately there was not much response.

 

1.1.2 Bengal Library Association

 

In 1958, the Bengal Library Conference that was held at Nava Dweep discussed a Draft Library Bill for west Bengal sent by Dr Ranganathan along with his presidential address.

 

Further attempts were made by the Bengal Library Association in 1966 as well as in 1969.

 

1.1.3 Left Front’s Initiative

 

The Left Front of West Bengal contested for the Legislative Assembly in the year 1977. They assured in the election manifesto, that “a public library system will be developed through library legislation”. Public Library development was made a political issue for the first time in India. Fortunately the Left Front came to power. The Government took up the issue in right earnest. The Bengal Library Association gave a draft of the bill to the Government. Mr Parth De, who later became the first Minister for Library Services of the State, personally took lot of trouble in enacting the Law. The Bengal Public Libraries Act was passed in the Assembly on 12th of September 1979. This is the seventh State to have library legislation in the independent India.

 

1.1.4Salient Features Of The Act

The salient features of the West Bengal Public Libraries Act Are:

 

  1. Constitution of a State Library Council for advising the Government on the matters of public library system.
  2. One representative from the employees of the libraries, as a Member in the State Library Council; and constitution of a Department of Public Library to supervise and direct the matters of Public Libraries.
  3. Constitution of Local Library Authority for each district.
  4. Provision for appointment of District Library Officer as ex-officio Secretary of the Local Library Authority.
  5. No Provision for library cess.

 

Since there is no library cess, there is no additional tax burden on the people. West Bengal Government proved that even without library cess there could be systematic development in the state. It is also a fact that the West Bengal Government is spending about 10 crores a year on public libraries, which is the highest amount of expenditure in any state in India.

 

1.1.5    Library System In West Bengal

 

As per the Act, public library system in West Bengal will be as following:

 

1.2 MANIPUR

 

Manipur is located in the eastern most part of India. It was a union territory from 1947 to 1981, in which year it was given the status of a State. Imphal Public Library was started in the year 1938. A few other libraries are also rendering good service in this State.

 

Manipur Library Association was established in 1987 and was very active since its inception. It has created library atmosphere throughout the State. This Association organized a State level “Seminar on Movement and Standards on Libraries” in 1987 and another Seminar on “New Education Policy and Library” in 1988, and mobilized all the librarians in the State. Finally, the Association drafted the Manipur Public Libraries Bill and got it introduced in the Legislative Assembly on 1st August 1988. This bill was passed” unanimously subject to modification of some minor clauses” and came into force from 1st October 1988.

 

1.2.1     Salient Features

 

The Salient features of the Manipur Public Libraries Act are given here under:

 

1. Constitution of a State Library Committee, to advice the State Government on all matters arising under this act and shall exercise and perform such other powers and duties as may be prescribed.

2. Constitution of a Department of Public Libraries.

3.Constitution of District Library Authority in each district, as a corporate body, for the purpose of organizing and administering public library service in the district.

4.Constitution of “Library Fund”, formed mainly with the contribution of the State Government.

5. No Library Cess.

The Act was drafted mainly on the basis of Madras and West Bengal Public Libraries Acts of 1948 and 1979 respectively.

 

1.2.2 Public Library System

 

As per the Manipur Public Library Act, 1988 which came into force with effect from 1st

August 1988, has the following Public Library Structure:

 

1.3 KERALA

 

1.3.1 Efforts

 

Early in l940, at the request of Dewan of Travancore Sir C P Ramaswamy Aiyar and the Cochin Education Minister Panampally Govinda Menon, Dr S R Ranganathan drafted two library bills for Travancore and Cochin, respectively. But due to political changes little could be done on the basis of these drafts. At the request of E M S Namboodripad, the Chief Minister of Kerala, Dr S R Ranganathan drafted the Public Libraries Bill, in 1959. At that time the atmosphere was favorable.

 

But, the Kerala Granthasala Sangham opposed the bill for the reason that the Bill “restricted the powers of the Sangham”. The Sangham Submitted another draft bill for consideration of the

 

Government in 1960. There was no action on these bills because the issue was brought with controversy. Again the Union Government sent the Model Public Libraries Bill for consideration. Gradually it also went in the way of other bills.

 

The Left Democratic Front Government was keen in enacting the library bill. The Chief Minister gave assurances to the Legislative Assembly in 1988 that, new library bill will be presented in the next session of the assembly. Accordingly the Kerala Public Library Bill was placed in the Assembly in February 1989, and after much debate and after large number of amendments, the bills was passed. With this, Library Act came into force in all the Southern States.

 

1.3.2  Special Features

The special features of the Kerala Public Libraries (Kerala Granthasala Sanghom) Act, 1989 are given

below:-

 

1 Besides the Government of Kerala at the top, there is a three tier administrative system for the organisation and administration of the public libraries:-

 

1. State Library Council

2. District Library Council

3. Taluk Library Union

 

2 The Presidents, Vice-Presidents, Secretaries, and Joint Secretaries, for the State Library Council, District Library Councils and the Taluk Library Unions shall be elected and shall be responsible for the administration and organisation of public libraries.

 

3 The above three administrative units shall function as corporate bodies, having perpetual succession and common seal with power, subject to the provisions of the Act and the rules made under, to acquire, hold, dispose of property, both movable and immovable, to enter into contracts, and do all things necessary, for implementation of the Act.

 

4 There are representatives of District Library Councils and Taluk Library Unions in the State Library Council. The entire system is formed with the democratic principle.

 

5 The State Library Council advises the Government on all matters connected with the development of public libraries.

 

6 The State Library Council coordinates the working of District Library council and the Taluk Library Unions, and controls the public library system in the State.

 

7 The Trivandrum Public Library shall be deemed to be the State Library of the State and established by the State Library council.

 

8 The District Library Council will establish new libraries with the previous sanction of the State Library Council, and supervise, coordinate and control the library service in the district, and to promote cooperation between libraries and cultural and educational institutions in the state.

 

9 The striking special feature of this Act is the constitution of Taluk Library Union, with the powers to supervise, coordinate and control the library service in the Taluk and to give direction and advice to affiliated libraries in regard to their day to day function and management.

 

10 Reading materials will be provided to the libraries at State, District and Taluk level directly. The bodies at State, District and Taluk level will procure properties independently.

 

11  Another important features of this Act is, that the Kerala Granthasala Sangham with its staff, assets and liabilities will be merged in the State Library council.

 

12  Library cess will be levied in the form of surcharge on building tax or property tax in the area within the jurisdiction of panchayats. municipalities and corporations.

 

13 The State Library Council shall maintain a fund called State Library Fund from which all the expenses of the State Library Council, District Library Councils and Taluk Library unions shall be met. The library cess collected in the State and the grants of the State and Central Governments etc will be credited to the State Library Fund only.

 

14  Reservation to at least one women and one person belong to scheduled castes and scheduled tribes in all committees.

 

15  Proper recognition to affiliated (aided) libraries

 

1.3.3 Structure of the System

 

The structure of the public library system is given below:

 

In all Acts so far enacted had more or less the same features with a little difference. Where as, there are structural changes in the Kerala Public Libraries Act, wherein, there is a provision to constitute the State Library Council, District Library Councils and particularly Taluk Library Unions, as corporate bodies, with an authority and with the elected President, Vice-President, Secretary and Joint Secretary at State, District and Taluk bodies. The entire system is democratized and decentralized.

 

1.4 HARYANA

 

Haryana is a State carved out on 1st November 1966 from the erstwhile East Punjab. Now, this developing State had 12 districts, 11 sub-divisions. Even before legislation, by executive orders, the Government of Haryana State started the State Central Library at Haryana In 1967 and District Libraries in all 12 districts, 11 sub-divisional libraries in sub-divisions and 11 Municipal Libraries in Municipal towns. All these libraries are managed under the administrative control of the Director of Higher Education. Most of these libraries are in towns and do not cater to 78.04% of the rural population of the State. So, attempts were being made to render library service to all the sections of the community, through library legislation.

 

1.4.1 fforts Of Library Legislation

 

Mr M L Bhagi, formerly Librarian of the State Central Library, Haryana took initiative to start the Haryana Library Association in the year 1967. He organized Haryana Book Festival and a State Library Seminar in the year 1971. During the Seminar, Mr M L Bhagi read his paper “public Library Services and the Draft Bill for Library Legislation”, which was followed by discussion. Mr VK Sibal, Director of Higher Education attended this Seminar. While summing up he “sympathized with the sentiments expressed by Mr Bhagi about the improvement of library service as a whole and the necessity of enacting the library act”

 

Later Mr M L Bhagi submitted his draft to the Director of Higher Education, Government of Haryana. Even after obtaining the opinion of experts over this draft Bill, the Government had not taken any action on it. In 1979, Dr Janak Raj, the Librarian of the Thaper Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala, as Secretary of the Haryana Library Association perused for the same and came to know that the Government is keen in reviewing the draft bill.

 

In 1982, the Association organized the Sixth Seminar on “Public Library System” at Kurukshetra. The draft bill prepared by Dr Janak Raj, on the analogy of the Mysore Public Libraries Act, 1965 was submitted to the Government for consideration. But no tangible result came out. Again, the Haryana Library Association organized a Seminar on “Library Legislation in Haryana” in July 1989. As a follow-up action of the Seminar, the Library Bill was again submitted to the Government. Mrs Sushama Swaraj, the Education Minister, Haryana moved the Bill in Haryana Assembly session on September 11, 1989, and on the same day the Assembly passed the “Haryana Public Libraries Act, 1989”. This Act is primarily meant to provide comprehensive library service on statutory basis in the State of Haryana.6

 

1.4.2 Salient Features of the Act

The salient features of the Haryana Public Libraries Act, 1989 are given hereunder.

 

1. Constitution of the State Library Authority to advise the Government on all matters in promotion of Library service in the State.

2.Formation of a State Library Directorate to implement the programmes approved by the State Library Authority.

3.Establishment of the State Central Library, with State Reference Library Section and State Lending Library Section

4.Constitution of a District Library Committee for each district.

5.Constitution of a City and Town Library Town Library Committee for each city with population of over a lakh, and a Town Library Committee

 

1.4.3  Structure of the System

 

As per the Haryana Public Libraries Act, 1989, the structure of the public library system in the State has to be formed on the following pattern:

 

6 REFERENCES

  1. Kumar, P S G. Library movement and Library development in West Bengal and Sikkim. New Delhi: BRPC, 2008.
  2. Giridhari Singh, N. Development of Libraries in Manipur State, ILA Conference Souvenir, 1988. p99
  3. Venkatappaih, V. Indian Library Legislation, V2. Delhi: Daya, 1993.
  4. Bhagi, M L Public Library Service and Draft Bill for Library Legislation.Ind. Lib. Mov. 3 (2-3) June-Dec 1976.
  5. Janak Raj. Library Movement in Haryana. ILA Souvenir 1988, p.67.
  6. Library Movement in Haryana. In the Souvenir brought on the occasion of II National Seminar. Pune: Indian Public Library Association, 1989, pp.1-16