Establishment of Library Service

(1) The Government shall establish, maintain and develop Library Service in the State. (2) For carrying out the purpose of sub-section (1), the Government may,— (a) promote reading habit and the use of books for the benefit of the people; (b) offer in its Public Library an adequate book, and reference service; (c) acquire for its Public Library sufficient number of books; (d) establish and sponsor organisations and institutions with a view to promote public interest and participation in the Public Library; (e) gives adequate library service to all Government Departments and Offices subordinate or attached to these Departments; (f) provide library training facilities to ensure adequately trained personnel for libraries in the State; (g) provide or secure suitable conditions of service for the library personnel in the State; (h) promote co-operation between the public libraries and cultural and educational Institutions; (i) promote production and publication of useful literature; (j) strengthen and start the libraries like prison libraries, hospital libraries for patients and home delivery libraries; (k) promote mobile libraries, audio libraries for blind and special libraries for hearing impaired, text-book library, children library computerization, micro-filming of rare documents; (l) make special efforts to create the love for books in the masses and specially in children and the youth; (m) promote the practice of adoption of libraries by the public undertakings sectors like Banks; (n) make compulsory enrolment of every student in the Public Libraries on reaching standard eighth; (o) compulsorily require to produce enrolment/membership certificate of the Public Libraries by the unemployed youth during the registration in the Employment Exchange for those jobs where literacy is required. (3) The Government shall discharge its functions and responsibilities under this section through— (a) The State Library Council; (b) The State Library Development Cell; (c) The State Public Library; and (d) The Co-operating Institutions. (2) For the removal of doubts, it is hereby declared that nothing in sub-section (1) shall be construed as preventing a person,— (a) from questioning in accordance with the provisions of the principal Act, as amended by this Act, or the said notifications, the levy or collection of library cess referred to in sub-section (1); or (b) from claiming refund of any library cess paid by him in excess of the amount due from him under the principal Act, as amended by this Act, or the said notifications.