Arunachal Pradesh Public Libraries Act 2009

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THE ARUNACHAL PRAD ESH PUBLIC LIBRARIE S ACT, 2009. 
(ACT NO. 6 OF 2009) 

(Received the assent of the Governor on 31st August, 2009 and 
published in the Arunachal Pradesh E.O. Gazette No. 104 Vol. XVI 

dated 4th September, 2009) 

AN 
ACT 

to provide for the establishment, maintenance and development of 
comprehensive public libraries system in the State of Arunachal Pradesh. 

Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of Aru nachal Pradesh in the 
Sixtieth Year of the Republic oflndia as follows:- 

Short title, extent J. (1) This Act may be called the Arunachal Pradesh Pub- 
and commence- lie Libraries Act, 2009. 
ment (2) It extends to the whole of Arunachal Pradesh. 

(3) It shall come into force on such date as the State 
Government may, by notification, in the Official 
Gazette, appoint. 

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

(1) "Committee" means Library Planning Committee. 

(2) "Government" means the Government of Arunachal 
Pradesh. 

(3) "Public Library" means a Library which Permits 
members of the Public to use it for reference or 
borrowing reading materials with or without charging 
nominal fees. 

(4) "State" means the State of Arunachal Pradesh. 

(5) "Year" means the financial year. 

Establishment 3. The Government shall establish , maintain and develoi 
of Library Ser- Library service in the State for carrying out the follow 

vice. mg purpose- 

(1) Promote reading habit and the use of books fc 
the benefit of the people. 

(2) Offer in its Public Library an adequate books an 
reference service. 

(3) Give adequate library service to all Governme 
Departments. 



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(4) Provide Library Training facilities to ensure ad- 
equately trained personnel for Libraries in the State. 

(5) More special efforts to create the love for books in 
the masses and specially in children and the youth. 

(6) Promote production and publication of useful 
literature. 

(7) Promote mobile libraries, audio visual Libraries for 
children, audio libraries for blind and special 
libraries for hearing impaired, text book library, 
children library, computerization, Microfilming or 
rare documents. 

(8) Make compulsory enrolment of every student in 
the Public Libraries on reaching standard eighth. 

4. There shall be constituted, by notification, the State Constitution of 
Library Committee consisting of the following members- Library Plan- 

(1) The Minister of the Department shall be the Chair- ning Commit- 

man of the committee 
tee. 

(2) Secretary Concerned Member 

(3) One Member of Arunachal 
Pradesh Legislative Assembly Member 

(4) The Director of Information Member 
and Public Relation 

(5) The Librarian, Raj iv Gandhi Member 
University 

(6) The Librarian, Dera Natung Member 
Degree College, Itanagar 

(7) One representative from RRRLF, Member 
Kolkata 

(8) One Member of Arunachal Member 
Pradesh Library Association: 

(9) Librarian, State Museum Member 

(10) One member from public having Member 
good reading habit to be nominated 
by state Govt. 

(11) The Director of Public Libraries Member 



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The Term of office of the members of the committee shall 
be for a period of three Years. 

If a member ceases to hold the position by virtue of 
which he was so nominated or elected, the Govt. will, 
by notification, nominate/appoint a new member. 

A vacancy in the office to hold the position by virtue of 
which he was so nominated and the new member shall 
hold office only for the remaining period of term. 

Meeting of the 8. The Committee shall meet at least once a year. 
Committee. 
Function of the 9. (1) TheCommitteeshalladvisetheGovemmentonall 
Committee. matters relating to Libraries arising out of the pro- 

visions of this Act and also in regards to promo­ 
tion and development of Library Services in the 
State. 

(2) The Committee shall take suitable steps to estab­ 
lish Public Libraries and Promote a Public Library 
system. 

TerrnsofOfficeof 5. 
the Committee. 

Membership of 6. 
the committee. 

Vacancies in the 7. 
membership of 
the Committee. 

Constitution of 10. (1) 
Public Libraries. 

Appointment of 11. ( 1) 
Officers and 
staff. 

(3) The Committee shall prepare model Byelaws, rules 
and regulations regarding the administration ofli­ 
brary services in the State. 

It will examine the proposal of Libraries to be Sub­ 
mitted to Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation. 

On the commencement of this Act, the Department 
of Public Libraries shall be constituted with a Di­ 
rector as its head. 

The Director shall be assisted by the Deputy Di­ 
rector and other necessary supporting staff. 

The Government shall create cadres for public library 
employees similar to those of the employees of the 
other Government Departments and lay down the 
qualifications and the other terms and conditions 
of service for those cadres. 

Within a year of its first constitution, the commit­ 
tee shall frame service rules for the various catego­ 
ries of library employees and follow the requisite 
qualification/norms and pay structure pattern of 
Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh. 

(4) 

(2) 

(2) 



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12. The existing library staff, for the purpose of absorption 
shall have to obtain necessary Technical Qualification 
within a limit of time, as may be prescribed. 

13 . The Public libraries in the State shall be divided into 
following categories:- 

( 1) State Central Library 

(2) DistrictLibrary 
(3) Sub-Divisional Library 

(4) BlockLibrary 

( 5) Circle Library 

( 6) Branch Library 

(7) Mobile Library 
(8) ChildrenLibrary 

14 (I) There shall be a State Central Library located in 
the State Capital. 

(2) Post & designation> 
(i) A whole time officer huviui; the prescribed 

professional qua] i Iicarions to practice the 
Library profession shall be appointed by the 
State Government i!S the Se n i or Library 
Information Officer for State Central Library of 
the pay pattern of Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh 
& shall be assisted by Technical and Non­ 
technical officer/staff 

(ii) There shall be a Sub-Committee for book 
selection headed by tlie Sccrcrarv of the 
Department/Director of Public Libraries as 
Chairman and Vice-Chairman. c:011sis1ing otrhe 
members ofEducationisr Planners Technocrats 
and Librarians. 

(3) Functions of the State Library- 

(i) to function as a reference and research library. 

(ii) to provide leadership in all activities in the 
field oflibraries. 

(iii) to organize a survey and rese,,, en u111t and 
continuously carry on surve , and research 
on different aspects of the 1 ibrary works. 

Conditions for 
absorption of ex­ 
isting staff. 

Categories of 
Public Libraries. 

State Library. 



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(iv) to provide documentauon and iuformation 
<ervie cs tu a l l and in p,1r<1cui:H to lhc· 
Legislative Houses <1nd other Dq,artmc:nt \,r 
the State Go\ crmucru. 

( v) to arrange exhibit i, 11b and other extension 
activities 011,1 more meaningful c111d h1rge scale. 

(vi) to maintain and manage the State Dormitory 
Library made of atleast one sound copy each 
of the books weeded out by any library in the 
State on account of its having become 
outmoded in content and presentation, in 
order to meet the demand, at any time from 
any person engaged in antiquarian or 
bibliographical research ; and 

(vii) to prepare annual report on the functioning 
of the library. 

(viii) the stock ofbooks in the State Central Library 
shall consist of books obtained through any 
legislation, for the time being in force 
providing for compulsory acquisition of two 
copies of books of every author published in 
the State, books acquired otherwise by 
purchase, exchange, gifts and bequests and 
its own publications. 

(4) The State Library shall consist of the following 
wmgs:- 

(i) Bureau of copy right; 
(ii) Inter Library Loan; 
(iii) State Bibliographical Bureau; 
(iv) Technical Service; and 
(v) Mobile Service 

(vi) Reference & Information Service etc. 

(vii) Lending section. 
(viii) Children's Comer 

District Library. 15. (1) There shall be a District Library in every District 
Headquarters of the State. Post and Designation. 
(i) A whole time officer having the prescribed 

professional qualifications shall be appointed 
by the State Government as the District 
Library & Information Officer (DL&IO). 



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(ii) He shall be assisted by the technical and non­ 
technical staff in running the library. 

(iii) Requisite qualification for the post of District 
Library & Information Officer shall be Master 
of Library & Information Science with a simi­ 
lar pattern of pay scale of State Govt. of 
Arunachal Pradesh. 

(2) Functions:- 
The function of a District Library shall be as follows :­ 
( i) to provide reference and Bibliographical 

Service in the District. 
(ii) to give special service to the members of the 

Municipal Council/Corporation of the town/ 
city, in which it is situated. 

(iii) to give special service to student-groups, 
Study circles and other educational groups. 

(iv) to extend library-service in the urban and rural 
areas by setting up branch libraries, mobile 
libraries and deposit centres and to extend 
similar service in the District through the 
various block libraries and other library units. 

(v) to feed Block and Circle with supply of suitable 
reading materials. 

(vi) to co-operate with and help the subscription 
Libraries in the District in accordance with the 
instructions of the authority of the 
Department. 

(vii) to co-operate with other institutions and 
Groups especially the social/educational 
institutions and workers, in promoting library 
mindedness among the people. 

(viii) to arrange conferences, camps and seminars 
of libraries, and other library works in the 
District, and 

(ix) to provide refresher courses for workers in 
District Library system. 

(3) District Library Planning Committee: 

(i) Deputy Commissioner Chairman 

(ii) Librarian, Govt.College 

(iii) DL&IO Member 
Secretary 



Sub-Divisional 
Library. 

Block Library. 

Circle Library. 

Public Library 
Finance. 

Public Library 
Development 
Fund. 

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The Chairman and the Member Secretary 
will nominate other Members from time to 
time by issuing a notification. 

( 4) Sections of the District Library:- 

The District library shall have the following 
sections:- 

(i) Lending section 

(ii) Reference section and District Informa- 
tion Unit 

(iii) News-papers and Periodicals section 
(iv) Text Book section 

(v) Children section 

(vi) Processing section 

(vii) Administrative section 

(viii) Adult Education section 

(ix) Cultural Activities and Extension programme 
section. 

(x) Children's section 

16. There shall be a Sub-Divisional Library in Sub-Divisional 
Headquarter. 

17. There shall be a Block Library in each Block Headquarter. 

18. There shall be recognized Circle Library in each Circle 
Headquarter 

19. The Govt. shall provide necessary fund in the annual 
budget of Public Libraries in the State for promoting 
the Public Library services in the State. 

20. There shall be a fund to be called the Public Library 
Development Fund for modernization and Development 
of Public Libraries in the State. 

(1) TI1e Library Development Fund shall Consist of: - 

(i) any contribution or special grants like 
Eleventh Finance Commission/Twelfeth 
Finance Commission etc. from the Central 
Govt. for modernization and development of 
public libraries. 



435 

(ii) all money received by way of contributions of 
gifts made by the public or any other agency 
for modernization and development of public 
libraries. 

(2) The money in the Library Development Fund shall 
be utilized by the Director in consultation with the 
Committee. (Library Planning Committee) 

21. ( 1) The Committee may recognize any one body as the State Library 
State Library Association, the constitution of which Association 
shall be approved by the Committee. 

(2) The Director shall consult Library Association on 
important matters relating to the Libraries and Li­ 
brarian of the State. 

22. (1) The State Government may, by notification make Powers to make 
rules to carry out the purposes of this Act. rules. 

(2) In particular and without prejudice to the general­ 
ity of the foregoing Powers, such rules may pro­ 
vide for all or any of the following matters, namely:- 

(i) the requisite qualification for appointment 
as the Director, Jt. Director, Dy. Director, 
Asstt. Director of Public Libraries and 
Senior Library & Information Officer, Dis­ 
trict Library and Information Officer and other 
supporting staff. · 

(ii) the mode of payment in respect of the finan­ 
cial assistance and the special grant-in-aid to 
the recognized Libraries; and 

(iii) such other rules as the State Government may 
deem it necessary. 

23. Every rule made by the Government ofArunachal Pradesh Laying of rules 
under this Act shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is before Legis­ 
made, before the Legislative Assembly of Arunachal lative Assembly. 
Pradesh, while it is in session, for a total period of ten 
days which may be comprised in one session or in two 
or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry 
of the session in which it is so laid or the session 
immediately following the session or the successive 
sessions aforesaid, the Legislative Assembly makes any 
modification in the rule or resolves that the rule should 



436 

not be made, the rules shall thereafter have effect only 
in such modified form or be of no effect as the case may 
be, so however, that such modification or annulment 
shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything 
previously done under that rule. 

Power to remove 24. (1) If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the 
difficulties. provisions of this Act, the State Government may, 

by order publish in the Official Gazette, make such 
provisions or give such directions, not inconsistent 
with provisions of this Act, as appears to it to be 
necessary or expedient for removing the difficulty. 

(2) Any order made under this section shall have effect 
notwithstanding anything inconsistent therewith 
in any rule or regulation made under this Act. 

AB. Shukla, IAS, 
Secretary to the 

Government of Arunachal Pradesh, 
Itanagar.