The Punjab Public Library and Information Services Bill, 2011

Aueuda Item No, of the CMM meeting 
Date of the CMM Meeting 
  
SECRET 
COPY NO, 
. Goverument of Pu ujab 
Department of Higher ducati " , on 
MEMORANDUM FOR THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS 
Minister -in-wharge Higher Kducation Minister, Govt. of Punjab Seeretary=in-charge Additional Chief Secretary, Higher Education 
Department , 
Subjects- Regarding Punjab Library Act. 
PUNJAB PUBLIC LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICES BILL 2011 
1.0 Preamble 
An Act to provide for the establishment, development, maintenance and 
operation of an integrated, comprehensive and efficient system for rural and 
urban public library and information services and the recognition of right to 
loam including access to information, knowledge and educational resources in 
the state for the socio-economic aspirations of people and the matters 
connected herewith. 
Besit enacted by the legislature of the Punjab State in year 2011 of the 
Republic of India as follows: 
} Short Utle, 
Extent and 
(i) This Act may be called the Punjab Public Libraries and Information 
Services Act 2011 
Cii)It shall extend to entire state of Punjab, 
(iii) It shall come into operation with intmediate effect. 
(iv) It shall apply to all public libraries ¢stablished or maintained and 
administrated by Government of Punjab and the State/Local Public 
Lin the state of Punjab, 
    
Commencement 
Library Governing Boare 
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x 
a 
Yee (v) It shall apply to all public libraries fully or partly financed by the 
i State of Punjab. 
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires: 
a) “Board” means the State Public Library Governing Board under Section 
5. 
b) “Local Library Authority” means concemed District Public Library 
Authority 
c) Book means: 
i. Book, multivotume book/encyclopedia, manuscript, rare book 
etc. 
ii. Map, sheet of music, chart or plan. 
iii. Electronic and digital resources available in CD/DVD/Pen Drive 
etc. 
iv. e-books, e-databases, e-journals etc. 
i. In printed form or electronic form or available via the Internet. 
ii. Newspapers and popular magazines of ephemeral literature i.e. 
not of permanent value in the public libraries and those that 
Loca! Library Committee may write off from time to time. 
b) Library and Information Service means ‘Issuing/loaning books’; 
‘Providing services regarding references and Information Service’; 
‘Inter Public Library Loan Service’, ‘Photocopy/Photostate Service’; 
‘Internet-access service’ etc. 
c) “Departmental Library” means 4 Library maintained by the 
Department of the State Government. 
d) “Public Library” means a library, which permits citizens to use it for 
information, reference or borrowing without charging fee or 
subscription. 
i. any library established or maintained by City/District Library 
Authorities including the branches, the mobile libraries, village 
libraries, and book deposit centers of such a library. 
ii, any library established, maintained and managed by the 
Government and declared open to the public. 
  
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iil, any library established or maintained by a local body or ¢o- 
operative society or registered body and declared open 1 the 
public. 
  
iv.any library declared to be eligible for grant-In-ald and 
receiving aid from the Government or from the Library Mund 
or Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation, Kolkata. 
v. any other library notified by the Government as 4 pubile library 
for the purpose of this Act. 
g) Public Library System means a library system consisting of a State 
Central Library, District Libraries, ‘own Libraries, Branch Libraries, 
~ Block Libraries, Village Libraries, Book deposit Centers, Mobile 
Libraries and other subsidiaries that may be associated & benefitted 
alongside. 
h) “Reference and Information Service” means assistance from the 
Library staff to the reader or user of the library to enable him/her to 
know, to locate and to consult books and other materials in printed 
form, digital form or accessible via the Internet, and to secure from 
such books, materials, and information relevant to his needs . 
i) “State” means the State of Punjab. 
j) Government means Government of Punjab. 
k) “State Central Library” means “Musafir Memorial Central State 
Library, Patiala”. 
1) “Subscription Library” means library run on Subscription fee from its 
members. 
m) “Year” means the financial year. 
2.0 Establishment of Library and Information Services 
a) The State Government shall establish, develop and maintain a 
system for comprehensive rural and urban Public Library and 
Information Service in the State. 
b) For carrying out the purpose of sub-section (1), the State 
Government may acquire through purchase, complimentary copies, 
publications of the Government, Bhasha Vibhag, Punjab, any other 
source for its Public Libraries to make available sufficient number 
of books, reference books, newSpapers, magazines etc. for all 
public libraries under the system. 
  
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Composition 
of Governing 
Board 
    
  
4 A 
d) 
The State Government shall discharge its functions and responsibilities under the section through: 
i) State Public Library Governing Board (SPLGB) 
ii) State Public Library Directorate (SPLD) 
iii) The Co-operating institutions, 
The structural set-up of the State Public Library system shall 
consist of the following: 
i) The State Central Library 
ii) The District Public Libraries 
iii) The City/Municipal Public Libraries 
iv) The Branch Public Libraries 
Vv) The Mobile libraries 
vi) The Block Public Libraries 
vii) The Village Public Libraries/Community Centers/School 
Libraries-cum- Public Libraries and Community 
Information Centers 
viii) The Book Deposit Centers. 
Besides, all the aided libraries shall be absorbed in the State 
Public library system, in course of time, so that the larger units of 
libraries can serve the people with library and information services 
comprehensively and efficiently. 
The State Government shall, by notification, establish, for the purpose 
of this Act, a board to be known as State Public Library Governing 
Board (SPLGB). The Board shall come into existence from date of 
notification to be issued by the Govt. SPLGB shall be a body corporate, 
having perpetual succession on a common seal with powers subject to 
the provisions of this Act, and rules made hereunder, to acquire, hold 
and dispose of property and to enter into Contracts and shall by the said 
name sue and be sued. 
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LGB shall consist of 
% 4) The following shall be the ex-officio members of the Board: 
   
(i) The Chief Minister of Punjab shall be the State Public Library 
Authority, and Chairman of the SPLGB, and the Minister of 
Education shall be the Chief Executive Officer. 
(ii)Prinoipal Secretary/Secretary of Higher education, 
(iii) Principal Secretary/Secretary Finance, 
(iv) Principal Secretary/Secretary Cultural affairs 
(v) Principal Secretary/Secretary Local Government, Punjab 
(vi) Financial Commissioner (Development) 
(vii) Chairman, Punjab School Education Board 
(viii) Director of Public Libraries Punjab shall be member 
secretary, 
b) Nominated members 12 to 15 including members representing (a) 
two registered state library associations (Punjab Library 
Association (PLA), and Punjab College Librarians Association 
(PCLA), (b) library and information science departments in 
universities in Punjab, (c) university libraries of Punjab, (d) 
literary societies, such as Punjabi Sahit Academy, Ludhiana and 
others, (e) One member of Governing Body of Raja Rammohun 
Roy Library Foundation from Punjab/North India. Term of 
nominated members would be 3 years. 
SPLGB shall be an autonomous body and shall have at least 4 meetings 
in one year. 
  
Standing Advisory Committee (SAC)shall be set up to advise the 
    
Composition 
of Standing SPLGB on all matters, technical and other, related to establishment, and 
Advisory : 
Committee working of public libraries. SAC shall consist of: 
  
eFour ex-officio members including Director, State Public Library 
Directorate and State Librarian/Chief Librarian, Musafir Memorial 
Central State Library, Patiala. 
eit 
A 
Pica 
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State Public 
Library 
Directorate & 
Headquarters     
    
" Six members from the nominated members of State Public Library 
Governing Board as nominated by the State Public Library Authority. 
Two representatives of registered state library associations , Punjab 
Library association( PLA) and Punjab College librarian association( 
PCLA). 
Two representatives of societies on book  culture/reading 
cuiture/literary activities. 
" 
Chairman of State public library Governing board ( SPLGB ) shall 
nominate one member from State Advisory Committee(SAC ) to act as its 
Chairman. Director, State Public Library Directorate shall be the 
Convener of State Advisory Committee. 
State Advisory Committee (SAC) would meet at least once a month, and 
present its activities to the State Public Library Governing Board(SPLGB) 
(i) The State Government shall constitute a State Public Library 
Directorate (SPLD), for the purpose of preparing plans and schemes for 
public library system. State Public Library Directorate (SPLD) shall be 
an organ of the Government. State Public Library Directorate (SPLD) 
would have a Director, and at least two Deputy Directors having 
professional qualifications in Library and Information Science (LIS), 
facilitated by support staff. 
(ii) The posts of Director and Deputy Directors of State Public Library 
Directorate shall be filled from among the senior librarians and professionals 
in Punjab having professional qualifications in Library and Information 
Science (LIS) as prescribed by Govt. from time to time. 
(ili) The Headquarters of Directorate shall be located in Chandigarh or SAS 
Nagar or any other place as decided by the State Government. 
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a) Prepare long-term as well as short-term plans for the development 
of public libraties in state 
b) Prepare descriptive and statistical reports on working of all public 
libraries in the state. 
c) Develop Human Resources Plan for staffing different categories of 
library staff in rural and urban areas 
d) Provide training to public library staff 
e) Carry out inspection of public libraries and their services 
f) Explore funding from national and international agencies, and to 
administer grants-in-aid to public libraries (including aided public 
libraries) in the state. 
g) Define boundaries/jurisdiction of different public libraries in the 
state. 
8.0 State Central Library 
The Musafir Memorial Central State Library, Patiala shall act as State 
Central Library. 
8.1 Collection of Documents of the State Central Library: 
i) The stock of books in the State Central Library shall consist of two 
copies deposited by the publishers. Bhasha Vibhag, Punjab, and 
Punjab Government publishers shall also contribute to the stocks. 
ii) Material in the State Central Library may also include Manuscripts, 
Rare Books, films, film strips, slides, tapes, gramophone records, 
maps, charts, bulletins, photos, 
English, Urdu and Sanskrit Languages. 
and resources in electronic & digital 
form in Punjabi, Hindi, 
8.2 The State Central Library shall serve 45 @ guide and leader to all the 
Public Libraries in the State. The State Central Library shall have the 
following sections:- 
i. Inter-library loan 
ii, State Bibliographical Bureau 
iii. Technical Service 
iv. Mobile service 
v. Reference and Information ser vice 
vi. Lending Section 
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Vil. Periodical Section (Newspaper and Magazine Section) 
vill. Reference Section 
ix, Children Sectlon 
x. Government Publications Section 
xi, Manuscripis/Rare Book Section 
  
xii, Electronic Resources section 
xiii.Research and Training section 
xiv.Cultural activities, Adult Education, Non-formal education 
and — extension programme section 
xv, Section for Visually Handicapped 
xvi, Administrative section 
8.3 State Central Library shall maintain collection of books for all types of 
readers on different subjects and in different languages. It shall also have 
reference resources of general nature. It shall have Central as well as State 
Government Publications, debates and proceedings of state legisiative 
assembly, Census and economic survey Reports, Gazetteers, Village and 
Town Directories, Statistical Reports, Population tables etc. 
State Central Library shall develop guidelines for Inter-Library Loan 
facility. 
9.0 District Public Library System: In each district the District Public 
Library System shall consist of District Public Library Authority 
(DPLA), along with District Public Library Board (DPLB), and the 
District Library, which shall be the nodal Public Library in each district 
of Punjab. All other public libraries in the concerned district shall work 
in co-ordination with the District Public Library. 
Each District Public Library Authority shall consist of the following 
  
Composition 
of District members: 
Public 
Library (a) Ex-officio members 
Authority       
(i) Member Parliament representing the district in Lok Sabha shall be 
the Chairman of District Public Library Authority (DPLA. ) 
(ii)Deputy Commissioner of the District shall be the Chief Executive 
Officer of District Public Library Authority 
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(iii) District Librarian shall be member secretary of District Public 
Library Authority 
(DPLA.) 
(iv) District Education Officer‘nominee 
(v) District Public Relations Officer 
(b) Nominated members 
(i) Two Presidents of Panchayat Samities or equivalent bodies 
nominated by Government 
(ii)One person nominated by Government from amongst the 
Sarpanches of the Gram Panchayat of each revenue division of 
the district 
(iii)One person elected by the council from amongst the councilors 
of each municipal council in the district. 
(iv) One librarian of any Government college in the district 
nominated on rotation basis by the government 
(v) One member elected by the presidents of the governing bodies 
of aided public libraries in the district. 
(vi) Two persons to be nominated by the government who have 
rendered eminent service to the cause of libraries or adult 
education, education and social work. 
(vii) One person each nominated by the Punjab Library Association 
(PLA) and the Punjab College Librarians Association (PCLA) 
form among its members. 
(viii) Two librarians working in one of the Public libraries in the 
district nominated by Government 
(ix) Shiromani Sahit and other State and National award recipient 
in the concerned district. 
9.2 Term of nominated members would be 3 years. 
9.3 District Public library Authority would have at least one meeting in a 
month. 
9.4 Rural and Urban Public Library systems shall be developed by District 
Public Library Board (DPLB) in respective district. Each district 
library shall have the following sections: 
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(i) Lending Section 
(ii) Reference and Information Section Inf . o. along with District niormation Unit this section Shall insure that every library in the rural and urban Public library system in the district has the high speed internet connectivity, 
(ili) Periodical Section (Newspaper and Magazine Section) 
(iv) Technical Section 
(v) Children Section 
(vi) Administrative Section 
(vii) Other Services section 
(viii) Cultural activities, Adult Education, Non-formal education 
and extension programme section 
10.0 Urban public library system : 
shall consist of City, town, municipal libraries to be set up by District 
Public Library Authority (DPLA) in cities and towns having municipal 
corporations, municipal committees, and notified area committees. 
Every local self-government in the urban area shall establish public 
libraries in their respective urban areas. City/Municipal/Town Libraries 
established under urban public library system shall be organized under 
similar sections as the District Public Library, except for the District 
Information Unit. 
11.0 Rural Library System: 
shall consist of libraries at District, block and village level. Every 
Panchayat Samiti shall function as a library authority for the area 
under its jurisdiction and shall establish, develop and maintain public 
library in every village. 
12.0 Finance and Accounts: 
12.1 The Government shall create a separate fund to be known as the State 
Public Library Fund for smooth functioning of the Public Library and 
Information System in the State. The Punjab Government will provide 
funds for public libraries 
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12.3 
12.4 
13.0 
13.1 
State Public Library Directorate (SP LD) shall develop plans for getting Pp 
grants (matching and non-matching) and other support und . 
Ipport un ler various 
national missions, programmes, and agencies, such as National 
Literacy Mission (NLM), Sarv Shikhsa Abhiyan (SSA), MP Local 
Area Development (MPLAD) Fund, and Raja Rammohum Roy Library 
Foundation (RRRLF) Kolkata, Similarly, other national and 
international agencies, such as UNESCO, International Development 
Research Centre (IDRC), International Monetary Fund (IMF), Asian 
Development Bank (ADB), The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation 
(USA), and other NGOs shall also be approached for funding. 
An account of all assets and liabilities of each District Public Library 
Authority shall be maintained in the prescribed manner. 
The account shall be audited annually in such a manner as may be 
prescribed. 
State Public Library Service (SPLS): 
A separate cadre for librarians working in Public libraries, integrating 
different categories of library staff working in different libraries in the 
state would be created. This would be called State Public Library 
Service (SPLS) shall consist of the following categories: 
a) Director 
b) Joint Director 
c) Deputy Director 
d) Assistant Director 
e) Librarians (all cadres) 
f) Assistant Librarians (al! cadres) 
g) Para professionals and other categories, as may be notified by the 
Government. 
13.2 The salary and promotional avenues of librarians, assistant librarians 
and para professional library staff shall be on a par with that of 
ibrarians, assistant librarians and para professional library staff in the 
college cadre. 
eee Sis ae 
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‘reports, Returns, and Inspections 
44.1 Every District Pub ic I bra 
eturns 
i 1 ry Authority shall submit reports and r 
an S informa’ i i Pu ctorate 
d furnish tion to the Director, State blic library Direct 
14.2 The Direct irector, SPLD shall Prepare an annual report of the progress 
made by library authorities durj 
. 
uring the year through th . 
library Governing Board. gh the State public 
14.3 State Public library Directorate shall inspect any library under its 
jurisdiction for verifying whether the provisions of the Act, Rules and 
Bye-laws made there under are duly observed by the libraries. For 
carrying out the provisions of the Act, SPLD shall prepare an 
Inspection Code. 
15.0 Rules, Bye-laws and Regulations: 
15.1 The State Government shall, after previous publication, by notification 
make Rules, Bye-laws, and Regulations to carryout the purpose of the 
Act within 12 months from the enactment of the Act. 
Dated Chandigarh Secretary to Government of Punjab 
Department of Higher Education 
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