Punjab Public Library and Information Services Act, 2011
No: 5 Dated: Apr, 03 2011
PUNJAB PUBLIC LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICES BILL, 2011
An Act to provide for the establishment, development, maintenance and operation of an integrated, comprehensive and efficient system for rural and urban public library and information services and the recognition of right to loam including access to information, knowledge and educational resources in the state for the socio-economic aspirations of people and the matters connected herewith.
Be it enacted by the legislature of the Punjab State in year 2011 of the Republic of India as follows:
1. Short Title, Extent and Commencement:- (i) This Act may be called the Punjab Public Libraries and Information Services Act 2011
(ii) It shall extend to entire state of Punjab,
(iii) It shall come into operation with intmediate effect.
(iv) It shall apply to all public libraries ¢stablished or maintained and administrated by Government of Punjab and the State/Local Public Library Governing Board in the state of Punjab,
(v) It shall apply to all public libraries fully or partly financed by the State of Punjab.
2. Definitions:- In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) “Board” means the State Public Library Governing Board under Section 5.
(b) “Local Library Authority” means concemed District Public Library Authority
(c) Book means:
i. Book, multivotume book/encyclopedia, manuscript, rare book etc.
ii. Map, sheet of music, chart or plan.
iii. Electronic and digital resources available in CD/DVD/Pen Drive etc.
iv. e-books, e-databases, e-journals etc.
i. In printed form or electronic form or available via the Internet.
ii. Newspapers and popular magazines of ephemeral literature i.e. not of permanent value in the public libraries and those that Loca! Library Committee may write off from time to time.
(d) "Library and Information Service" means ‘Issuing/loaning books’; ‘Providing services regarding references and Information Service’; ‘Inter Public Library Loan Service’, ‘Photocopy/Photostate Service’; ‘Internet-access service’ etc.
(e) “Departmental Library” means a Library maintained by the Department of the State Government.
(f) “Public Library” means a library, which permits citizens to use it for information, reference or borrowing without charging fee or subscription.
i. any library established or maintained by City/District Library Authorities including the branches, the mobile libraries, village libraries, and book deposit centers of such a library.
ii, any library established, maintained and managed by the Government and declared open to the public.
iii, any library established or maintained by a local body or ¢ooperative society or registered body and declared open 1 the public.
iv. any library declared to be eligible for grant-In-ald and receiving aid from the Government or from the Library Mund or Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation, Kolkata.
v. any other library notified by the Government as 4 pubile library for the purpose of this Act.
(g) "Public Library System" means a library system consisting of a State Central Library, District Libraries, ‘own Libraries, Branch Libraries, Block Libraries, Village Libraries, Book deposit Centers, Mobile Libraries and other subsidiaries that may be associated & benefitted alongside.
(h) “Reference and Information Service” means assistance from the Library staff to the reader or user of the library to enable him/her to know, to locate and to consult books and other materials in printed form, digital form or accessible via the Internet, and to secure from such books, materials, and information relevant to his needs .
(i) “State” means the State of Punjab.
(j) "Government" means Government of Punjab.
(k) “State Central Library” means “Musafir Memorial Central State Library, Patiala”.
(1) “Subscription Library” means library run on Subscription fee from its members.
(m) “Year” means the financial year.