Act means preparing the format of law or legislation. In the context of libraries, the Library Act means to give legal provision for establishing a library system, its maintenance, services, functions, right and management under any state or a national government. Library legislation is capable of regulating various organs of public library services. It is an instrument for the development of public libraries in a planned manner to ensure establishment, development and maintenance of libraries in a uniform pattern. It can help in promoting a sense of self consciousness among the people who would feel it obligatory on their part to use services offered by the library.
The library legislation has the provision of financial support to the public libraries, but the provision to be made in library legislation would depend upon the social, political and economic environment. There are mainly two ways of making provision of finance to public libraries through library legislation. They are
(i) Annual budget allocation by the state out of its total funds with capital grants from central government.
(ii) Levying of library cess with a matching grant from the state government.
Library Legislation provides the necessary mandate, direction and finances for the development of Public Libraries. Library Legislation is supposed to give the public libraries better prospects of stability, development and required finances. In the absence of mandate, the finances provided for the public libraries were left to the vagaries of governments without any definite commitment. In order to put public libraries on a proper track there is a need for legislation that would solve many library problems. Moreover, it is a well accepted principle that in all the civilized societies it is the responsibility of the government to provide adequate library and information services to its citizens both urban and rural areas. Public libraries are supposed to be people’s universities. Hence, the expenditure on public libraries should aim at fixing the financial responsibilities upon the government in connection with the library staff, reading materials, building, furniture, equipment, etc.
Madras Public Libraries Act, 1948: The Madras Public Libraries Act is the first of its kind in independent India. This Act provided basis of the Public Libraries System in the erstwhile composite Madras State (before November 1956) and Tamil Nadu State.
Andhra Pradesh Public Libraries Act, 1960: When Andhra Pradesh was formed in 1956, comprising Andhra areas of composite Madras State and Telangana area of Hyderabad State; Madras Public Libraries Act was in force in Andhra area. So, administrative problems were bound to be there, when two separate Acts are in operation in one State. To clear this problem, both the Acts were amalgamated, modified and brought upto-date as Andhra Pradesh Libraries Act in 1960, and later, it was amended in 1964, 1969, 1987 and 1989 (major amendments); and such major amendments resulted into the constitution of Andhra Pradesh Granthalaya Parishad, more or less a State Library Authority as the apex body. This Act is an improvement over Madras Act.
Karnataka Public Libraries Act, 1965: The Karnataka Act, one of the balanced Acts, so far enacted, paved the way for a State-wide network of Public Libraries in the Karnataka State. It comprises Bombay-Karnataka area, old Mysore area, Hyderabad-Karnataka area, Madras Karnataka area and Coorg area.
Maharashtra Public Libraries Act, 1967: Maharashtra State was constituted with the areas of Western Maharashtra, Marathwada, Vidarbha, and by amalgamating princely states like Kolhapur, in the year 1960. Even though there were efforts for library legislation from 1940 onwards, it could succeed only in the year 1967, by enacting of Maharashtra Public Libraries Act.
Subcribe on Youtube - IGNOU SERVICE
For PDF copy of Solved Assignment
WhatsApp Us - 9113311883(Paid)
0 Comments
Please do not enter any Spam link in the comment box