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Unit 13: Acts Related to Library Legislation

of property? It is therefore ridiculous to have such a provision which is violative of basic law but Notes
is being infringed with impunity.
These are only some of the glaring anomalies in the Press and Registration of Books Act. One has
to take his mind back to the second half of the 19th century to understand that the foreign
government wanted to put a curb on the Press in India. It honestly felt that freedom of the Press
would result in weakening the roots of foreign rule. Their fears were not unfounded. Almost all
national leaders used their newspapers to arouse a feeling of nationalism in the people and to
prepare them for participation in the struggle for freedom. Many of them suffered imprisonment.
The leaders had a comparatively easy time but lesser mortals were sent to the Andaman to serve
their sentence. The Press and Registration of Books Act is a relic of that era. What the Press needs
is an Act in keeping with the ethics of the 21st century? The task of authentication of declaration
should be taken away from the district authorities and entrusted to the Press Registrar and his
deputies. The clauses about preservation of copies of newspapers and the confusion about
publication of newspapers with the same or similar titles should be removed.

Self Assessment

Fill in the blanks:
6. The Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867 is the oldest of the existing ……………. Laws
in India.
7. The ……………… begin with the preamble of the Act itself.
8. It is to the credit of the Press Registrar that by giving a public notice, as many as 1,70,000
out of 2,50,000 blocked titles had been ………………. and made available.
9. The ……………… Act lays down a time limit within which publication has to start after a
declaration has been filed.
10. The heirs hardly ever bother to file a …………….. declaration.

13.3 Delivery of Books and Newspaper Act (Public Libraries Act), 1954

Following are the aspects related to Delivery of Books and Newspaper Act (Public Libraries
Act), 1954:-
1. Short title and extent:
(a) This Act may be called the Delivery of Books (Public Libraries) Act, 1954. [and
newspapers]
(b) It extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir.
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 (25 of 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 of notification in
the Official Gazette.

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