Page 41 - DLIS101_LIBRARY_AND_INFORMATION_SOCIETY

Library and Information Society

Notes

State your views why the year 1876 is a wellknown year in the history of
librarianship in United States.

Public Libraries in India
Public libraries in India made a tremendous growth after the independence of India in 1947. The
central and the state governments took a number of steps forward for the development of the nation
from the point of education and considered library as essential part of it. The programs executed by
provincial and central governments since 1910 for the social and adult education of the populace
paved the way for the enactment of library laws and rules for grants-in-aid in the country. Hence
public library became part of the education budget. To enhance the level of literacy of 16% in 1941,
the government undertook some programmes such as extension services, continuing education,
social education, non-formal education and adult education. The government further initiated steps
for the development of community and organized some projects in this regard. Libraries were
considered to be an essential part of the Community Development Project that was launched during
the first plan period. (Naidu;1990). In order to accelerate the pace of socioeconomic development,
the government considered public libraries to be an integral part of development projects.

The Connemara Public Library in Madras became the State Central Library in
1950 under the provision of Madras Public Libraries Act 1948, and became one of
the three depository libraries in 1955.

Delhi Public Library was established in 1951 as the first UNESCO Public Library Pilot Project under
the joint auspices of UNESCO and Government of India to adopt “Modern Techniques to Indian
Conditions” and to serve as a model public library for Asia. In 1954, the Delivery of Book Act was
passed to include newspaper. The act obligated every publisher in India to deposit one copy each of
its publications to the National Library in Calcutta, the Asiatic Society Library in Bombay, Connemara
Public Library in Madras, and Delhi Public Library in New Delhi The Advisory Committee for
Libraries as constituted in 1957 by the Government of India, with K P Sinha as the Chairman. The
Committee submitted its report in 1959 with a drafted Model Library Bill. The Planning Commission
constituted a Working Group on Public Libraries in 1964 and the Commission submitted its report
in 1965 with a Model Public Libraries Act. The model bill was sent to all the states/UTs, which do
not have Public Libraries Act. In 1972, the Government of India, Planning Commission constituted
Working Group on Development of Public Libraries to make recommendations for library
development. Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation, an autonomous body under the Department
of Culture, Ministry of Education, was established in 1972. The main objective of the Foundation
was to assist state library services in developmental works.

In 1979, a library section was established in the Department of Culture under the
Ministry of Education, which section was under the charge of an Under Secretary.

The objective was to promote the development of public libraries in India.
A Working Group on Modernization of Library Services and Informatics was appointed by the
Planning Commission in 1983 and submitted its report in 1984 with the formulation of National
Policy on Library Services and Informatics. Delhi Public Library became a copyright library in 1982.

36 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY