Library legislation is
legislation
Legislation is the process or result of enrolling, enacting, or promulgating laws by a legislature, parliament, or analogous governing body. Before an item of legislation becomes law it may be known as a bill, and may be broadly referred ...
that helps establish and maintain
public libraries
''Public Libraries'' is the official publication of the Public Library Association (PLA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). It is devoted exclusively to public libraries. The print edition is published six times a year and i ...
.
History
Great Britain
Edward Edwards of the
British Museum
The British Museum is a Museum, public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is the largest in the world. It documents the story of human cu ...
was a firm believer of the establishment of public libraries with public funds through legislation. The thread was picked up by
William Ewart and moved proposal in the Parliament of the Great Britain in 1849. On approval of the selection committee,
the Bill
''The Bill'' is a British police procedural television series, broadcast on ITV (TV network), ITV from 16 October 1984 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama, "Woodentop (The Bill), Woodentop" (part of the ''Storyb ...
was introduced in early 1850, which is a red letter day in the annals of the Library movement not only in the Great Britain, but also in the whole world, as it was the first Library Act to be ever enacted.
Advantages of Library Legislation
A library act provides the following advantages:
* Helps in the establishment of an organized network of public libraries.
* A sound administrative set-up.
* Proper and continuous financial support.
* Coordination in administration and management of public libraries.
* Centralized services like purchase, processing, bibliographical and other services can be provided conveniently.
* Possibility of providing quality library service, at qualified hands, free of charge.
Functions
The Advisory committee for Libraries constituted by the Government of India (1958) proposed the following five functions of library legislation:
# It should clearly define the government's responsibility in the matter of public libraries.
# Legislation should lay down the constitution and functions of the library authority at national, state and district levels.
# Legislation should provide an assured basis for library finance. There are two ways of providing a firm basis for library finance.
(i) A special library cess; and
(ii) Reservation of a certain percentage of the education budget.
# Legislation should laydown the structure of the public library system.
# Legislation should provide for participation of the representative of the public, in the work of the public libraries at all levels.
# Legislation should provide clear guidelines for library cooperation and national catalog.
{{Authority control
Library law