The Punjab Public Library and Information Services Bill, 2011

(i) This Act may be called the Punjab Public Libraries and Information Services Act 2011. (ii) 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 established or maintained and administrated by Government of Punjab and the State/Local Public Library Governing Boare. (v) It shall apply to all public libraries fully or partly financed by the 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. d) 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. e) “Departmental Library” means a Library maintained by the Department of the State Government. f) “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. iii. any library established or maintained by a local body or co-operative society or registered body and declared open to 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 a pubile library for the purpose of this Act. g) Public Library System means a library system consisting of a State Central Library, District Libraries, Town 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”. l) “Subscription Library” means library run on Subscription fee from its members. m) “Year” means the financial year.

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. d) 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. e) “Departmental Library” means a Library maintained by the Department of the State Government. f) “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. iii. any library established or maintained by a local body or co-operative society or registered body and declared open to 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 a pubile library for the purpose of this Act. g) Public Library System means a library system consisting of a State Central Library, District Libraries, Town 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”. l) “Subscription Library” means library run on Subscription fee from its members. m) “Year” means the financial year.

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.

a) 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) Principal 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 SPLGB on all matters, technical and other, related to establishment, and 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. 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 culture/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. (iii) The Headquarters of Directorate shall be located in Chandigarh or SAS Nagar or any other place as decided by the State Government.

The Musafir Memorial Central State Library, Patiala shall act as State Central Library. 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. The Musafir Memorial Central State Library, Patiala shall act as 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, and resources in electronic & digital form in Punjabi, Hindi, English, Urdu and Sanskrit Languages.

The State Central Library shall serve as 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 service. vi. Lending Section. vii. Periodical Section (Newspaper and Magazine Section). viii. Reference Section. ix. Children Section. x. Government Publications Section. xi. Manuscripts/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.

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 legislative 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.

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 members: (a) Ex-officio members (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 (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.

13.1 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 (all 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 librarians, assistant librarians and para professional library staff in the college cadre.

14.1 Every District Public Library Authority shall submit reports and returns and furnish information to the Director, State Public Library Directorate. 14.2 The Director, SPLD shall Prepare an annual report of the progress made by library authorities during the year through the State public library Governing Board. 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.

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: (i) Lending Section. (ii) Reference and Information Section along with District Information 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. (iii) 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.