Page 125 - DLIS101_LIBRARY_AND_INFORMATION_SOCIETY

Library and Information Society

Notes 1. Short title and extent

(a) This Act may be called the Delivery of Books ‘and Newspapers’ (Public Libraries) Act, 1954
(b) It extends to the whole of India
2. Definitions: In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,
(a) “book” includes every volume, part or division of a volume and pamphlet, in any language, and
every sheet of music, map, chart or plan separately printed or lithographed, but does not include a
newspaper published in conformity with the provisions of Section 5 of the Press and Registration of
Books Act, 1867 (XXV of 1867); “(aa) ‘newspaper’ means any printed periodical work containing
public news or comments on public news published in conformity with the provisions of Section 5
of the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867;
(b) “public libraries” means the National Library at Calcutta and any three other libraries which
may be specified by the Central Government in this behalf by notification in the Official Gazette.
3. Delivery of books to public libraries.
(1) Subject to any rules that may be made under this Act, but without prejudice to the provisions
contained in Section 9 of the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867 (XXV of 1867), the publisher
of every book published in the territories to which this Act extends after the commencement of this
Act shall, notwithstanding any agreement to the contrary, deliver at his own expense a copy of the
book to the National Library at Calcutta and one such copy to each of the other three public libraries
within thirty days from the date of its publication. (2) The copy delivered to the National Library
shall be a copy of the whole book with all maps and illustrations belonging thereto, finished and
coloured in the same manner as the best copies of the same, and shall be bound, sewed or stitched
together, and on the best paper on which any copy of the book is printed.
(3) The copy delivered to any other public library shall be on the paper on which the largest number
of copies of the book is printed for sale, and shall be in the like condition as the books prepared for
sale.
“3A. Delivery of newspapers to public libraries: Subject to any rules that may be made under this
Act, but without prejudice to the provisions contained in the Press and Registration of Books Act,
but 1867, the publisher of every newspaper, published in the territories to which this Act extends,
shall deliver at his own expense one copy of each issue of such newspaper as soon as it is published
to each such public library as may be notified in this behalf by the Central Government in the
Official Gazette.”
(4) Nothing contained in sub-section (1) shall apply to any second or subsequent edition of a book
in which edition no additions or alterations either in the letter-press or in the maps, book prints or
other engravings belonging to the book have been made, and a copy of the first or some preceding
edition of which book has been delivered under this Act. 4. Receipt for books delivered. The person
in charge of a public library (whether called a librarian or by any other name) or any other person
authorised by him/her in this behalf to whom a copy of a book is delivered under section 3 shall
give to the publisher a receipt in writing therefor.
5. Penalty: Any publisher who contravenes any provision of this Act. or of any rule made there
under shall be punishable with fine which may extend to fifty rupees and, “if the contravention is
in respect of a book, shall also be punishable with fine which shall be equivalent to” the value of the
book, and the court trying the offence may direct that the whole or any part of the fine realised from
him shall be paid, by way of compensation to the public library to which the book or “newspaper”
as the case may be ought to have been delivered.
6. Cognizance of offences: (a) No court shall take cognizance of any offence punishable under this
Act save on complaint made by an officer empowered in this behalf by the Central Government by
a general or special Order. (b) No court inferior to that of a presidency magistrate or a magistrate of
the first class shall try any offence punishable under this Act.

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