Chapter III Chapter III

District Library Councils

Constitution of District Library Councils.—(1) For the purpose of organizing, administering and developing library service at the district level, the Government may, by notification, constitute a District Library Council for each District in the State.

1. (2) Every District Council shall be a body corporate, by the name of the district for which it is constituted, having perpetual succession and a common seal with power, subjects to the provisions of this Act and the rules made thereunder, to acquire, hold and dispose of property, both movable and immovable, to enter into contracts, and to do all things necessary, proper or expedient for the purpose for which it is constituted and shall, by the said name sue and be sued.

Composition of District Library Councils.—(1) Every District Library Council shall consist of —

1. (a) the Presidents and Secretaries of the [Taluk Library Councils] in the district;
2. (b) seven persons to be elected by the General Body of each of the [Taluk Library Councils] in the district of whom one shall be a woman, and one shall be a person belonging to the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes;[*******]
3. (c) the President or any other office bearer of any affiliated library in the district headquarters nominated by the Government. “ Provided that where a woman or a person belonging to the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes could not be elected under clause (b), the Government shall nominate a woman or a person belonging to the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes, as the case may be, to the said vacancy.”;] [(d) one member elected from among the District Panchayat members; and
4. (e) one member elected from among the councilors of the Municipalities in the district.”;] [(2) The members referred to in clause
5. (b) of sub-section

1. (1) of every District Library Council shall elect, from among themselves, a District Executive Committee consisting of eleven members including a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary and a Joint Secretary: Provided that one of the members so elected shall be a woman and one shall be a person belonging to the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes.”.]
2. (3) The District Executive Committee shall exercise such powers as are determined by the State Library Council and perform such functions as may be prescribed from time to time.

Term of office.—

1. (1) Save as otherwise provided in this Act, the term of office of the members of a District Library Council shall be [five years] commencing from the date on which the Government notifies the constitution of the District Library Council in the Gazette: Provided that every member shall continue in office until his successor assumes office.
2. (2) A member of a District Library Council shall be eligible for re-election to the Council.

Vacancies.— A casual vacancy caused by death, resignation or disability of a member or otherwise, in the District Library Council shall be filled as early as possible [by election or nomination, as the case may be, of a suitable person in accordance with the provisions of section 11 and any person so elected or nominated to fill a vacancy shall hold office only so long as the member in whose place he is elected or nominated would have held office, if the vacancy had not occurred]

Meetings of the District Library Councils.—

1. (1) Every district Library Council shall meet [at least thrice a year] on dates to be fixed by the President of the Council and one of such meetings shall be the annual meeting.
2. (2) The President may, whenever he thinks fit, convene a special meeting of the District Library Council for the transaction of urgent business.
3. (3) Subject to such conditions as may be prescribed, a special meeting shall be convened by the President to discuss matters of urgent importance upon a written requisition by not less than none-third of the number of members of the District Library Council.
4. (4) One-third of the total number of members of the District library Council shall be the quorum for a meeting of the Council.
5. (5) A District Library Council shall transact business by resolutions passed in such manner and in accordance with such procedure as may be prescribed.
6. (6) Copy of every resolution shall be forwarded to the State Library Council within fifteen days of the passing of that resolution.

Powers and duties of President and Vice-President of District Library Council.—

1. (1) The President of a District Library Council may preside over the meetings of the Council and exercise such powers and perform such duties as may be prescribed.
2. (2) The Vice-President may in the absence of the President preside over the meetings of the Council and exercise such powers and perform such duties of the President as the President may, from time to time, delegate to him. [(3) In the absence of both the President and the Vice-President any member chosen by the members present, from among themselves, shall preside over a meeting of a District Library Council.”.]

Secretary of the District library Council.—

1. (1) The Secretary of the district Library Council shall be the chief executive authority of the District Library Council.
2. (2) It shall be the duty of the Secretary of the District Library Council to give effect to the resolutions of the said council. 1. The Secretary of the District Library Council shall exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as are, or may be, conferred or imposed on him by the President or the District Library Council. 2. Suits by or against the District Library Council shall be instituted by or against the Secretary of the District Library Council. 3.

Powers and functions of the District Library Councils Powers and functions of the District Library Councils.—(1) Save as otherwise provided in this Act, every District Library Council shall have power-

1. (a) to elect members to the State Library Council to the extent of one for each taluk in the district;
2. (b) to establish new libraries within its jurisdiction with the previous sanction of the State Library Council;
3. (c) to supervise, co-ordinate and control the library service under its jurisdiction in the district and to promote co-operation between libraries and cultural and educational institutions in the country;
4. (d) to provide library service and mobile library service to the persons residing in the district;
5. (e) to provide suitable lands and buildings for public libraries and furniture, fittings, equipment and other conveniences necessary for the purpose;
6. (f) to provide such libraries with books, periodicals, newspapers maps, radios, manuscripts, works and specimens of art and science, lantern slides, films, video films, cinema projectors, recorders, cassettes, television sets, charts, tape recorders, video cassette players, video cassette recorders and the like;
7. (g) to shift, reorganise, or close or amalgamate any public library established or maintained or run directly by the District Library Council;
8. (h) to appoint and control such officers and servants as may be necessary for the efficient performance of its duties and functions under this Act and the rules made thereunder;
   • (i) to accept any endowment or gift for any purpose connected with its activities;
9. (j) to provide for lectures, seminars, symposia, conferences and conduct study classes to strengthen the functioning of the Libraries and conduct other activities as may be conducive to the carrying out of the purposes of this Act;
10. (k) with the sanction of the State Library Council to do any other thing that may be conducive to the furtherance of the purposes of this Act; and
11. (l) to exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as may be conferred or imposed it by or under this Act, or the rules made thereunder.

1. (2) The District Library Council may give to the Taluk Library Councils directions not contrary to the directions, if any, issued by the State Library Council in the performance of their functions under this Act and the unions shall not in the discharge of their functions under this Act depart from the directions given by the Council.