West Bengal Public Libraries Act, 1979

No: 39 Dated: Jan, 07 1980

THE WEST BENGAL PUBLIC LIBRARIES ACT, 1979

West Bengal Act XXXIX of 1979

    An Act to provide for the establishment of public libraries in the State of West Bengal and to regulate, guide, [control and supervise the libraries] as also to provide for a comprehensive rural and urban [library and information service] in the State of West Bengal;

    Whereas it is expedient to provide for the establishment of public libraries in the State of West Bengal and to regulate, guide, [control and supervise the libraries] as also to provide for a comprehensive rural and urban [library and information service] in the State of West Bengal;

    It is hereby enacted as follows. -

CHAPTER I

Preliminary.

1. Short title, extent and commencement. - (1) This Act may be called the West Bengal Public Libraries Act, 1979.

(2) It extends to the whole of West Bengal.

(3) This section shall come into force at once and the remaining sections shall come into force on such date or dates as the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint and different dates may be appointed for different sections of this Act.

2. Definitions. - In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, -

(a) "aided library" means a recognised library receiving aid from the Government, or from a Local Library Authority;

(b) "Central Library" means a library declared by the State Government by notification as the Central Library;

(c) "Director" means the Director of [Library Services] appointed under section 6;

[(d) "District" means a district of West Bengal and includes Calcutta as defined in the Calcutta Municipal Corporation Act, 1980;]

(e) "District Library" means a library in a district established or recognised by the Government as the District Library;

(f) "Government" means the Government of the State of West Bengal;

(g) "notification" means a notification published in the Official Gazette;

(h) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act;

(i) "private library" means a library other than an aided, recognised or a public library;

[(j) "Public Library" means a library open to the public, and includes -

(k) "recognised library" means a library recognised by the Director and declared as such for the purposes of this Act.

CHAPTER II

The State Library Council.

3. State Library Council and its functions. - [(1) The Government shall constitute a State Library Council (hereinafter referred to as the Council) for the purpose of advising the Government on' the management of the State Central Library, on matters relating to policies and programmes for the development and management of public libraries and public library system and on such other matters as may be referred to it.

(2) The Council shall advise the Government on any scheme prepared by a Local Library Authority under section 15 and also on the principles governing the aid to a library under this Act.]

(3) The Council shall exercise such power and perform such duties as may be prescribed.