The Arunachal Pradesh Public Libraries Act 2009

1. (1) This Act may be called the Arunachal Pradesh Public Libraries Act, 2009.

1. (2) It extends to the whole of Arunachal Pradesh.
2. (3) It shall come into force on such date as the State Government may, by notification, in the Official Gazette, appoint.

2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-

1. (1) "Committee" means Library Planning Committee.
2. (2) "Government" means the Government of Arunachal Pradesh.
3. (3) "Public Library" means a Library which Permits members of the Public to use it for reference or borrowing reading materials with or without charging nominal fees.
4. (4) "State" means the State of Arunachal Pradesh.
5. (5) "Year" means the financial year.

3. The Government shall establish, maintain and develop Library service in the State for carrying out the following purpose-

1. (1) Promote reading habit and the use of books for the benefit of the people.
2. (2) Offer in its Public Library an adequate books and reference service.
3. (3) Give adequate library service to all Government Departments.
4. (4) Provide Library Training facilities to ensure adequately trained personnel for Libraries in the State.
5. (5) More special efforts to create the love for books in the masses and specially in children and the youth.
6. (6) Promote production and publication of useful literature.
7. (7) Promote mobile libraries, audio visual Libraries for children, audio libraries for blind and special libraries for hearing impaired, text book library, children library, computerization, Microfilming or rare documents.
8. (8) Make compulsory enrolment of every student in the Public Libraries on reaching standard eighth.

4. There shall be constituted, by notification, the State Library Committee consisting of the following members-

1. (1) The Minister of the Department shall be the Chairman of the committee
2. (2) Secretary Concerned : Member
3. (3) One Member of Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly : Member
4. (4) The Director of Information and Public Relation : Member
5. (5) The Librarian, Rajiv Gandhi University : Member
6. (6) The Librarian, Dera Natung Degree College, Itanagar : Member
7. (7) One representative from RRRLF, Kolkata : Member
8. (8) One Member of Arunachal Pradesh Library Association: : Member
9. (9) Librarian, State Museum : Member
10. (10) One member from public having good reading habit to be nominated by state Govt. : Member
11. (11) The Director of Public Libraries : Member

5.

Membership of the committee 6. If a member ceases to hold the position by virtue of which he was so nominated or elected, the Govt. will, by notification, nominate/appoint a new member.

7.

Meeting of the Committee 8.

Function of the Committee 9. (1) The Committee shall advise the Government on all matters relating to Libraries arising out of the provisions of this Act and also in regards to promotion and development of Library Services in the State.

1. (2) The Committee shall take suitable steps to establish Public Libraries and Promote a Public Library system.
2. (3) The Committee shall prepare model Byelaws, rules and regulations regarding the administration of library services in the State.
3. (4) It will examine the proposal of Libraries to be Submitted to Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation.

10. (1) On the commencement of this Act, the Department of Public Libraries shall be constituted with a Director as its head.

1. (2) The Director shall be assisted by the Deputy Director and other necessary supporting staff.

11. (1) The Government shall create cadres for public library employees similar to those of the employees of the other Government Departments and lay down the qualifications and the other terms and conditions of service for those cadres.

1. (2) Within a year of its first constitution, the committee shall frame service rules for the various categories of library employees and follow the requisite qualification/norms and pay structure pattern of Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh.

12.

Categories of Public Libraries 13. The Public libraries in the State shall be divided into following categories :-

1. (1) State Central Library
2. (2) District Library
3. (3) Sub-Divisional Library
4. (4) Block Library
5. (5) Circle Library
6. (6) Branch Library
7. (7) Mobile Library
8. (8) Children Library

14 (1) There shall be a State Central Library located in the State Capital.

1. (2) Post & designation:-
   • (i) A whole time officer having the prescribed professional qualifications to practice the Library profession shall be appointed by the State Government as the Senior Library Information Officer for State Central Library of the pay pattern of Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh & shall be assisted by Technical and Non-technical officer/staff
   • (ii) There shall be a Sub-Committee for book selection headed by the Secretary of the Department/Director of Public Libraries as Chairman and Vice-Chairman, consisting of the members of Educationist, Planners, Technocrats and Librarians.
2. (3) Functions of the State Library:-
   • (i) to function as a reference and research library.
   • (ii) to provide leadership in all activities in the field of libraries.
   • (iii) to organize a survey and research unit and continuously carry on survey and research on different aspects of the library works.
   • (iv) to provide documentation and information services to all and in particular to the Legislative Houses and other Department of the State Government.
   • (v) to arrange exhibitions and other extension activities on a more meaningful and large scale.
   • (vi) to maintain and manage the State Dormitory Library made of atleast one sound copy each of the books weeded out by any library in the State on account of its having become outmoded in content and presentation, in order to meet the demand, at any time from any person engaged in antiquarian or bibliographical research ; and
   • (vii) to prepare annual report on the functioning of the library.
   • (viii) the stock of books in the State Central Library shall consist of books obtained through any legislation, for the time being in force providing for compulsory acquisition of two copies of books of every author published in the State, books acquired otherwise by purchase, exchange, gifts and bequests and its own publications.
3. (4) The State Library shall consist of the following wings:-
   • (i) Bureau of copy right;
   • (ii) Inter Library Loan;
   • (iii) State Bibliographical Bureau;
   • (iv) Technical Service; and
   • (v) Mobile Service
   • (vi) Reference & Information Service etc.
   • (vii) Lending section.
   • (viii) Children's Corner

15. (1) There shall be a District Library in every District Headquarters of the State. Post and Designation.

1. (i) A whole time officer having the prescribed professional qualifications shall be appointed by the State Government as the District Library & Information Officer (DL&IO).
2. (ii) He shall be assisted by the technical and non-technical staff in running the library.
3. (iii) Requisite qualification for the post of District Library & Information Officer shall be Master of Library & Information Science with a similar pattern of pay scale of State Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh.

1. (2) Functions:- The function of a District Library shall be as follows :-
   • (i) to provide reference and Bibliographical Service in the District.
   • (ii) to give special service to the members of the Municipal Council/Corporation of the town/city, in which it is situated.
   • (iii) to give special service to student-groups, Study circles and other educational groups.
   • (iv) to extend library-service in the urban and rural areas by setting up branch libraries, mobile libraries and deposit centres and to extend similar service in the District through the various block libraries and other library units.
   • (v) to feed Block and Circle with supply of suitable reading materials.
   • (vi) to co-operate with and help the subscription Libraries in the District in accordance with the instructions of the authority of the Department.
   • (vii) to co-operate with other institutions and Groups especially the social/educational institutions and workers, in promoting library mindedness among the people.
   • (viii) to arrange conferences, camps and seminars of libraries, and other library works in the District, and
   • (ix) to provide refresher courses for workers in District Library system.
2. (3) District Library Planning Committee:
   • (i) Deputy Commissioner : Chairman
   • (ii) Librarian, Govt. College : Member
   • (iii) DL & IO : Member Secretary The Chairman and the Member Secretary will nominate other Members from time to time by issuing a notification.
3. (4) Sections of the District Library :- The District library shall have the following sections:-
   • (i) Lending section
   • (ii) Reference section and District Information Unit
   • (iii) News-papers and Periodicals section
   • (iv) Text Book section
   • (v) Children section
   • (vi) Processing section
   • (vii) Administrative section
   • (viii) Adult Education section
   • (ix) Cultural Activities and Extension programme section.
   • (x) Children's section

16.

Block Library 17.

Circle Library 18. There shall be recognized Circle Library in each Circle Headquarter

19. The Govt. shall provide necessary fund in the annual budget of Public Libraries in the State for promoting the Public Library services in the State.

20. There shall be a fund to be called the Public Library Development Fund for modernization and Development of Public Libraries in the State.

1. (1) The Library Development Fund shall Consist of : -
   • (i) any contribution or special grants like Eleventh Finance Commission/Twelfeth Finance Commission etc. from the Central Govt. for modernization and development of public libraries.
   • (ii) all money received by way of contributions of gifts made by the public or any other agency for modernization and development of public libraries.
2. (2) The money in the Library Development Fund shall be utilized by the Director in consultation with the Committee. (Library Planning Committee)

21. (1) The Committee may recognize any one body as the State Library Association, the constitution of which shall be approved by the Committee.

1. (2) The Director shall consult Library Association on important matters relating to the Libraries and Librarian of the State.

22. (1) The State Government may, by notification make rules to carry out the purposes of this Act.

1. (2) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing Powers, such rules may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:-
   • (i) the requisite qualification for appointment as the Director, Jt. Director, Dy. Director, Asstt. Director of Public Libraries and Senior Library & Information Officer, District Library and Information Officer and other supporting staff.
   • (ii) the mode of payment in respect of the financial assistance and the special grant-in-aid to the recognized Libraries; and
   • (iii) such other rules as the State Government may deem it necessary.

23. Every rule made by the Government of Arunachal Pradesh under this Act shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, before the Legislative Assembly of Arunachal Pradesh, while it is in session, for a total period of ten days which may be comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session in which it is so laid or the session immediately following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid, the Legislative Assembly makes any modification in the rule or resolves that the rule should not be made, the rules shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect as the case may be, so however, that such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule.

24. (1) If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of this Act, the State Government may, by order publish in the Official Gazette, make such provisions or give such directions, not inconsistent with provisions of this Act, as appears to it to be necessary or expedient for removing the difficulty.

1. (2) Any order made under this section shall have effect notwithstanding anything inconsistent therewith in any rule or regulation made under this Act.