Page 43 - DLIS003_LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT

Library Administration and Management

Notes Self Assessment

Fill in the blanks:
10. ……………………. are encouraged to give their best at work when they have authority
with responsibility.

11. The …………… principle of delegation maintains that there should be clear and direct
lines of authority in the Organisation, running from the top to the bottom.

2.6 Library Governance and Library Authority

The library governance refers to the persons (or committees or departments etc.) who make up
a body for the purpose of administering the library. The authority has the power or right to give
orders or make decisions in the library.
2.6.1 Library Governance

The Library governance involves the following:
1. University Library: University library is based on the statutes and ordinances adopted by
the governing body of a university. The statutes made in accordance with the policy
enunciated by the university act would determine the status of the librarian in the general
set up of the university and provide for its organization and administration.

2. Public Library: The public library law enacted by a state legislature forms the legal basis
for the establishment, maintenance and governance of the public library. In India, the
public libraries were formerly under the ministry of education but now it is under the
ministry of culture.

3. Special Library: In a special library run by a company or industry, there may be no legal
basis of library government. The library concerned may be their internal matter and the
librarian may be at the mercy of the higher authorities of the concerned organization.
There may be no prescribed rules, regulations, etc.

2.6.2 Library Authority

The word “authority” implies a person having the power to do something, the power being
derived from his office or character or prestige. A person having power is authorized by a
competent agency/authority to carry out a certain job. The purpose of granting authority is to
allow him/her to perform some kind of service by means of administrative process.
1. College Library: In a college, the Board of Management is the authority and college librarian
is directly answerable to the principal.

2. University Library: In Indian Universities, the Executive Council (EC) is the library
authority. In actual practice, many powers are delegated by EC to the Vice Chancellor
(VC). So, the librarian is directly answerable to the VC.
3. Public Library: In a public library, the Directorate of Library Services or Local or State
Library Authority is the library authority or otherwise a library board might be the
authority. The librarian is responsible to the board. In case of a public library, where there
is library legislation, it is mentioned in the library act as to who will be the library
authority. But when there is no library legislation then the Director of Library Services
will be the library authority.

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