Impact Factor (IIFS) - 0.331 http:// www.klibjlis.com eISSN No.

2394-2479

PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND ROLE OF RRRLF FOR PROMOTION OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES

Dolly Sharma*

ABSTRACT: -The paper discusses about the library legislation in India and
*Librarian,
DAV College for Women, also discussed about the RRRLF and their role in promotion of public
Ferozepur Cantt.
library. Public library system in India strengthen and improve the
Punjab, India
educational importance through knowledge dissemination establishing
public libraries at the state, district, municipality, village and many others
QR Code
level. The government of India have established and funded to run different
Public libraries. In this paper we learn about the library legislation and the
time of their amendment .We also learn about the RRRLF and their service
and promotional activities. The public libraries play an important role for
societal and national development. Though, many of the states have not
enacted public library act. They are still in progress and persuading the state
government for early legislation. RRRLF also gave continue contribution
with public to increase their sources and facilities. RRRLF play a major role
in the development of public libraries.
KEY WORDS – public library, legislation, RRRLF, India, government

INTRODUCTION institutes like public libraries in order, historical

A public library is a nonprofit library ,scientific and technical knowledge in the public
maintained for public use. Library movement is a at large public libraries arose worldwide along
saga of organized growth and development of with growth in education , Literacy and
libraries giving the details of establishment publication . Every country has its own public
maintains and functioning of libraries in a library History with influential leaders. The
geographical proximity. No country in the world growth and development of public library system
can progress without providing for public library in India may be studied by categorizing it broadly
services to the citizens. In democratic to strength into three groups.
the of information and to promote the social
culture country like India to establish the service

“Knowledge Librarian” An International Peer Reviewed Bilingual E-Journal of Library and Information Science
Volume: 03, Issue: 01, January – February 2016 Page | 1
Impact Factor (IIFS) - 0.331 http:// www.klibjlis.com eISSN No. 2394-2479

* Ancient libraries number of steps forward for the development of

* Medieval libraries the nation from the point of education and
* Modern libraries considered library as essential part of its. Hence
public library became part of the education
Libraries were established in ancient India budget. The government undertook some
mainly by the patronage extended by emperors, programs such as extension of services,
major capitalists and scholar there is evidence of continuing education, social education, non-
well-developed libraries even in the sixth century formal education and adult education. In order to
A.D the famous Nalanda University in Bihar had accelerated the pace of socio-economic
its own magnificent library with a massive development. The government considered public
collection of manuscripts covering the universe of libraries to be an integral part of development
knowledge. Admission to library was restricted to projects.
scholars’ .Other ancient universities, such as
Taxila and Vikramashila also had a valuable The Connemara public library in madras
library. became the state central library in 1950 under the
provision of madras public libraries act 1948, and
In 1808 the government of Bombay proposed became one of the three depository libraries in
to register libraries. During the first half of the 1955.
19th century, the three presidency towns of
Bombay, Calcutta and Madras had public PUBLIC LIBRARY LEGISLATION
libraries. These libraries were mostly financed by India attained freedom in 1947 and became a
Europeans residing in these towns. republic in 1950. To facilitate administration, it
The first three decades of the 20th century not has a national capital region of Delhi, 28
can be looked on as the golden age of the Indian states and 6 union territories after independence.
library system. On January 31, 1902 the imperial Even before independence, Kolhapur princely
library act was passed and Lord Curzon state of the western India passed public libraries
transformed the Calcutta public library into the act in 1945.
imperial library in 1906.
Today, only half of the states of the Indian
POST- INDEPENDENCE PERIOD union have successfully passed the library
Public libraries in India made a tremendous legislation. However, in the coming few years,
growth after the independence of India in 1947. there is greater possibility for a library law being
the central and the state government took a enacted in the remaining states. Now we will

“Knowledge Librarian” An International Peer Reviewed Bilingual E-Journal of Library and Information Science
Volume: 03, Issue: 01, January – February 2016 Page | 2
Impact Factor (IIFS) - 0.331 http:// www.klibjlis.com eISSN No. 2394-2479

discuss about different states which has library Surcharge On

legislation. IFML@0.50
Mizoram No Library Cess

Public Library Legislation and Year of Enacting 10 Public Library 1993

Sr. Library Nature of Law Year Act

No. Gujarat Public No Library Cess

Madras (Tamil Library Cess (10%) 11 Library 2001

Nadu) Public on Act

01 1948 Orissa Public No Library Cess
Library Act Property Tax
(First) 12 Library
2001
Andhra Pradesh Library Cess (8%) on Act

Public Lands And Buildings Sr. Library Nature of Law Year

02 1960 No.
Library Act
(Second) Uttar Pradesh

Library Act Library Cess (6%) on 13 Public ---- 2005

(Third) Lands, Buildings, Library Act

03 Karnataka Vehicles 1965 Uttarakhand

(Mysore) And Profession 14 Public Library ---- 2005

Public Act

Maharashtra No Library Cess Rajasthan

04 Public Library 1967 15 Public Library ---- 2006

Act (Fourth) Act

West Bengal No Library Cess Bihar Public

16 ---- 2007
05 Public Library 1979 Library Act

Act Chhattisgarh

Manipur Public No Library Cess 17 Public Library ---- 2007

06 1988 Act
Library Act
Haryana Public Cess Pondicherry
07 1989 18 Public Library ---- 2007
Library Act Local Bodies to Levy
Kerala Public Library Cess (5%) on Act

Library Act Property Tax and Not Arunachal

08 Less Than 1% of 1989 19 Pradesh Public ----

2009
State Expenditure on Library Act

Education
Goa Public Ps. Per Liter .And
09 1993
Library Act 0.50
“Knowledge Librarian” An International Peer Reviewed Bilingual E-Journal of Library and Information Science
Volume: 03, Issue: 01, January – February 2016 Page | 3
Impact Factor (IIFS) - 0.331 http:// www.klibjlis.com eISSN No. 2394-2479

ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS ARUNACHAL PRADESH

Andaman and Nicobar islands in the Bay After the formation of the state in 1978 the
of Bengal served as prisoners for life convicts, secretariat library was converted into the state
political prisoners’ and exiles during the British central library. Presently there is one state central
regime. On 1st November 1956, the Andaman and library. Its 2 branches , 16 district libraries, 3
Nicobar islands were made a union territory. The divisional libraries, 13 sub divisional libraries, 26
Andaman and Nicobar library association formed block libraries and 30 circle libraries. Mobile
in 1977 prepared the blue print for a public library library service was introduced in the capital city
system for the state and submitted in to the through automobile van. There are district
administrative authorities for approval. libraries in all district head quarters. However
As a result of the constant efforts of the there is no initiative for the public library act so
association, the government constituted the far.
Andaman and Nicobar library planning committee
in 1978. Now the association has taken up the BIHAR
work of library legislation. With the continuous efforts of reputed
library professional of the state Bihar government
ANDHARA PRADESH passed the public libraries act in 2008. Bihar has a
The state Andhra was formed in 1st state library at Patna and district libraries in all the
October, 1953. Its capital is Hyderabad and has 23 districts.
districts. Andhra Pradesh public libraries act
1960. This came into force from 1st April, 1960. GOA
It is under the administrative control of honorable The first public library in Goa named
minister of school education and primary “publican libraia” was started in 1932. It was one
education. This act was later amended in 1964, of the oldest public in India. After libration this
1969, 1987 and 1989. Andhra Pradesh has a good library was converted into the central library. The
public library system with state central library governments constituted the state library advisory
regional libraries, district central libraries and board in 1983 and appointed a subcommittee, for
branches and a full time director to control the drafting the library bill and presenting it to the
system. government. The library bill was introduced by
Mr. Don Vick Fernandez in the assembly in 1993
and passed on 26th November 1993. It got the
assent of the governor on 29th July 1995.

“Knowledge Librarian” An International Peer Reviewed Bilingual E-Journal of Library and Information Science
Volume: 03, Issue: 01, January – February 2016 Page | 4
Impact Factor (IIFS) - 0.331 http:// www.klibjlis.com eISSN No. 2394-2479

GUJARAT MANIPUR
Gujarat state shares border with Rajasthan, The Manipur library association was
Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The state has established in 1987 and was very active from its
international border with Pakistan. The capital of inception. It has created library awareness in the
Gujarat is Gandhinagar and the state has 25 entire state the association drafted the Manipur
districts. This state has a rich heritage of public public libraries bill and got it introduced in
library movement. Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad legislative assembly on 1st August 1988.
of Baroda state was the pioneer of public library
movement in India as early as 1910. After the ORISSA
continuous efforts for a long time, Shri Orissa has significant historical
Monoharsinhji Jadeja, the chairman, state library background harping back to the reign of the
advisory committee redrafted the library bill and Kalinga dynasty. Orissa has libraries from an
submitted to the government. This bill was early period. During the fifth five-year plan, the
published in the gazette on 28th dec.1977 and the government of Orissa started district libraries in
bill was passed in the year 2001 and implemented. all district headquarters’ Orissa library legislation
bill was passed on 25th march 1988.
HARYANA
The state of Haryana was carved of the RAJASTHAN
state of Punjab on November 1966. It is one of the Rajasthan public libraries act was passed
smallest states of India and has 20 districts. The in 2006.It has a state central library, 7 divisional
state central library at Haryana was started in libraries, 33 district libraries, 9 Tehsil libraries
1967.This library was managed under the and 228 block level libraries.
administrative control of director of higher
education .The public library act was passed in the TAMILNADU
state in 1989. The name Tamil Nadu was adopted for
this state on 14th January 1969.Its capital is
KERALA Chennai. Dr. S R Ranganathan as of the madras
The state of Kerala was formed in 1956.t- university, first through about library legislation
This state has earned the credit of having the in India as early as 1925 and succeed in 1948. It
highest literacy rate in India. The Kerala public was implemented with effect from April 1950
library bill was passed in February 1989.

“Knowledge Librarian” An International Peer Reviewed Bilingual E-Journal of Library and Information Science
Volume: 03, Issue: 01, January – February 2016 Page | 5
Impact Factor (IIFS) - 0.331 http:// www.klibjlis.com eISSN No. 2394-2479

UTTARAKHAND The chief recommendations of the report were:-

This state has been carved out from the •Library service should be made free to every
hill area of the state of Uttar Pradesh. This state citizens of India.
has 13 districts. The government felt the need of •The hierarchy of public library services in the
library legislation and passed an act in 2005. country should begin with national library and
proceed to state central library, district library,
UTTAR PRADESH block library and Panchayat library.
Uttar Pradesh is famous for its •State government should accept responsibility for
manuscripts libraries. Manuscripts were collected public library services in their states.
and housed in the Rampur library. The Uttar
Pradesh library association was founded in 1949. ROLE OF RRRLF IN PROMOTING PUBLIC
Dr S R Ranganathan drafted the Uttar Pradesh LIBRARIES
public libraries bill in1949 and published it in the The year 1972 is a significant year in the
form of a book. This bill was submitted to the history of library movement in India. The country
government and circulated to all the members of was celebrating the silver jubilee of its
the legislation assembly. Despite the education independence. It was the bi-century year of the
minister’s keenness in putting the public libraries birth of Raja Rammohun Roy, a pioneer social
act in to the statute book, his efforts did not reformer who had stressed the need for the
materialize. Ultimately the government issued an modern education for the progress of the nation.
ordinance in 2006 for library legislation. Raja Rammohun Roy library foundation (RRRLF)
was established in may 1972, by the department
WEST BANGAL of culture, government of India to spread library
The Bengal public libraries act was passed services all over the country in co-operation with
in the assembly on 12th september1979. This state state government, union territory administrator
has 9 state central library, district libraries and organizations working in the field.
other libraries at a lower level .It has a directorate
of libraries to manage the system RRRLF is a central autonomous
organization established and fully financed by the
ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR LIBRARIES ministry of culture, government of India. RRRLF
The government of India appointed a is registered under the west Bengal society
committee in 1957 to report on the status of public registration act, 1961. It is the nodal agency of the
library development in the country. It is also government of India to support public library
called the Sinha committee. services and system and promote public library

“Knowledge Librarian” An International Peer Reviewed Bilingual E-Journal of Library and Information Science
Volume: 03, Issue: 01, January – February 2016 Page | 6
Impact Factor (IIFS) - 0.331 http:// www.klibjlis.com eISSN No. 2394-2479

movement in the country. The supreme policy •Rural libraries and mobile libraries service for
making body of RRRLF is called the foundation. the rural area.
It consists since 2005-06 the foundation has also •Public library building.
taken up the initiative to develop the district youth •Seminar, workshops, conference and training
resource Centre (DYRC) in collaboration with courses.
Nehru Yuvak Kendra sangathana, an autonomous •Television and VCR equipment’s for educational
organization under the ministry of sports & youth purposes.
affairs of 22 member nominated by the
government of India. Professor Brij kishore PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES OF RRRLF
Sharma is the present chairman of RRRLF. The RRRLF has undertaken several promotional
foundation functions in each state. activities for qualitative improvement of library
services. It has played a major role in the
OBJECTIVE OF RRRLF preparation of national policy on library &
Main objective of RRRLF are:- information system. It has also issued guidelines
(a)Promotion of the library movement in India on public library system and services. RRRLF
(b)Adoption of a national library policy by the also interacts with many national & international
central and state governments. professional associations like IFLA, ILA, and
(c)Periodic publication of reports on library IASLIC different state level library association.
development The foundation has also undertaken a program of
(d)Development of national library system by giving seven awards annually, one for the best
integrating the services of national libraries, state state central library and six for the best district
central libraries, district libraries and other types library.
of libraries through an inter lending library
system. CONCLUSION
(e)To advice the Government of India library The present paper concludes that the
development legislation of public libraries in India. The public
The primary objective of RRRLF is the promotion libraries play an important role for societal and
of the library movement. The foundation also has national development. Public library system
a program of assistance to libraries for workshops, efforts to support resource sharing have greatly
conferencing and exhibits. The current programs contributed to the development of system.
of assistance by RRRLF are:- Though, many of the states have not enacted
•Collection building. public library act. They are still in progress and
persuading the state government for early

“Knowledge Librarian” An International Peer Reviewed Bilingual E-Journal of Library and Information Science
Volume: 03, Issue: 01, January – February 2016 Page | 7
Impact Factor (IIFS) - 0.331 http:// www.klibjlis.com eISSN No. 2394-2479

legislation. RRRLF also gave continue • Ekbote, G. R. (1997). Public library

contribution with public to increase their sources system. Hydrabad. Ekboter Brothers.
and facilities. RRRLF play a major role in the • Indian Library Association. (1999).
development of public libraries. Library Vision 2010: Indian Libraries and
Librarianship in retrospect and prospect:
45th ILA Conference. Hisar, ILA, Delhi.
References • National mission on libraries ministry of
• About RRRLF. (n.d.).retrieved culture, government of India.(n.d.).
February19, 2016,from retrieved February 19,2016,from
http://rrrlf.nic.in/about_rrrlf.asp http://www.nmlindia.nic.in/library
• Badhusha, K. N., & Nagarajan, M. scenario in India.
Development of Public Library Systems • Promotional activities page.(n.d). retrieved
and Services in India. V3 Journal of February19,2016,from
library and information Sciences. http://www.rrrlf.nic.in/promotionl_activity
• Barua, B. P. (1992). National Policy on .asp
Library and Information Systems and • Sharma, P. S. (1985). Public libraries in
Services for India: Perspectives and India. Ess Ess Publications.
Projections. Popular Prakashan. • Wani, Z. A. (2008). Development of
• Barua, B. P. (1994). Raja Ram Mohan Roy public libraries in India.
Library Foundation and Library
Movement in India. In 39th All India
Library Conference. Delhi: Indian Library
Association.
• Bhattacharjee, R. (2002). Public library
services in India: systems, modernization,
networking and deficiencies. National
Round Table on the Modernization and
Networking of Libraries in India,
DELNET, New Delhi, 81-99.
• Buragohain, A. (1999). Public Library
Scenario in India-Problems and Prospects.
Herald of Library Science, 38, 5-13.

“Knowledge Librarian” An International Peer Reviewed Bilingual E-Journal of Library and Information Science
Volume: 03, Issue: 01, January – February 2016 Page | 8