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Jovita Kaur, Lovely Professional University Unit 10: Library Legislation—I

Notes
Unit 10: Library Legislation—I

CONTENTS

Objectives
Introduction

10.1 Purposes of Library Legislation
10.2 Essential Features of Library Legislation

10.3 Library Legislation Current Status in India
10.4 Summary

10.5 Keywords

10.6 Review Questions
10.7 Further Readings

Objectives

After studying this unit, you will be able to:
• Discuss the purposes of library legislation
• Explain library Legislation Current Status
• Describe Ranganathan for public library legislation and service
• Define public library
• Discuss public Libraries Act, 1850.

Introduction

Among the social developments of the last century which have been of the greatest importance in the
cultural progress of mankind are universal elementary education and public libraries. The two are
complementary to one another: without universal elementary education, public libraries fail in their
usefulness to the people, and without public libraries, elementary education remains the stump of a
promising tree.
The necessity of universal primary education is appreciated in most of the countries now striving to
earn their right of existence in the modern age; but the complementary role of public libraries is not
fully realized.
In such a situation, it should be the first concern of the groups organized for the promotion of
libraries to strive to have library legislation included in the statute book of their country. The
advantages of this legislation are two fold: First, the legislation will be a commitment of the
government to raise the cultural level of the people. Second, in a society striving to make up for its
historical time log, there is always a temptation to appropriate as much of its resources as possible
for economic build-up to the starvation of “social” services; library legislation will save a government
and a people from its own short-sightedness.

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 107