Model Union Public Library Act - Librarians Portal

Model Union Public Library Act

The Government of India appointed a committee to explore the possibilities to establish a National Central Library at New Delhi in 1948. Dr. S.R. Ranganathan as a Member of the Committee drafted a Library Development plan: In 1950, a 30 -year programme and a draft Library Bill for the states and a separate Union Public Library Act were prepared. This was revised in 1959 and again in 1972. 

The salient features of this Model Act are:

1) Constitution of National Library Authority.

2) Establishment-of a System of National Central Libraries (i.e.) National copyright library, National Dormitory Library, National Service Library etc.

3) Constitution of a National Library Fund.

Since, the "Libraries" form the part of state list of the constitution, it may not be possible to pass a Union Act, and until the constitution the constitution is suitably amended for this purpose.

The provision of financial sources made in different Public Library Acts of twelve states is given below:

1) Tamil Nadu Public Libraries Act, 1948-library cess (10 per cent) on property taxes.

2) Andhra Pradesh Public Libraries Act, 1960-library cess (8 per cent) on property tax

3) Karnataka Public Libraries Act, 1965- library cess (6 per cent) on lands, buildings, vehicles and profession

4) Maharashtra Public Libraries Act, 1967-no library cess, state government grant

5) West Bengal Public Libraries Act, 1979-no library cess, state government grant

6) Manipur Public Libraries Act, 1988-No library cess, state government grant

7) Kerala Public Libaries Act, 1989-library cess, (5 per cent on property tax and not less than  one per cent of state expenditure on education budget.

8) Haryana Public Libraries Act, 1989-local bodies to levy cess.

9) Goa Public Libraries Act, 1993-Surcharge on IMFL @ 0.50 ps. Per ltr. And 0.50 ps. On bulk bear per Itr. And One percent on State Education Budget.

10) Mizoram Public Libraries Act, 1993-no library cess, state government grant.

11) Gujarat Public Libraries Act, 200 l-no library cess, state government grant.

12) Orissa Public Libraries Act, 2001-no library cess, state government grant.