Toward reforms: Revisiting public library legislation in Indian states

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the status of policies, legislation and finance with respect to public libraries in India. Design/methodology/approach This is a descriptive study based on data collected from literature review and census data on public libraries, along with a field visit of government public libraries at Bangalore. It attempts a critique of existing policies related to public libraries in particular and the culture sector in general, which governs the Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAMs) in India. Findings Of India’s 29 states and 7 union territories, 19 states have passed state library legislations, of which only 5 have the provision of a library cess or tax levy and it was found that states with lower literacy rates do not have library legislations. Bihar and Chhattisgarh in 2008 and Arunachal Pradesh in 2009 have recently passed these legislations without a library cess. Few states have progressed with the automation of public libraries, while 16 state libraries continue to function without any such legislation. The legislative process and legal issues involved in policy making, combined with the lack of political consensus and goodwill, have severely constrained the growth, coverage and development of public libraries for people in India. The existing national acts and state library legislations should be reviewed to adapt to changing times and to bring about integrated information services across GLAMs for the public. A RTI query sent to the Ministry of Culture revealed that there is no official data available on the per capita expenditure on public libraries in India. Practical implications In an online-networked environment, all GLAM institutions work towards collecting, preserving and providing access to educational and cultural heritage resources as social capital. However, there is a lack of national policy to govern GLAMs and the government bodies responsible for developing GLAMs are not integrative in their processes. A more holistic framework is required to assess funding needs and to ensure reforms in culture sector. Central government should make it mandatory to have access to public library for every citizen of India, legitimating public library services, even as India celebrates 100 years of public librarianship and enters its second century of providing library and information services to the nation. Originality/value GLAMs should be inclusionary public spaces for intellectual engagement and community development and need greater attention of policy makers. Though the public library movement reached its peak in the nationalist movements of the early 20th century, developing integrated and contemporary policies for the growth and development of public libraries as a public good in the 21st century will make India a knowledge society.

Purpose – The current situation of Indian public libraries has been viewed by some as follows: the public library system in India is condemned to remain peripheral to the actual information needs of the masses; that it is in a depressed state, and serves as little more than a warehouse of recreational reading materials, a majority of which are in regional languages. This paper suggests possible remedies on how to transform the situation, and details new technological developments which are already showing the potential to change public libraries in rural India for the better.Design/methodology/approach – A descriptive account of the contemporary situation in India with regard to public libraries, digital technologies and development possibilities, using official statistics and the LIS literature.Findings – The challenges that face public libraries in India are listed and a vision for their future based on the concept of “ICT for development” is sketched out.Research limitations/implications – It is diffic...

PurposeTo describe the development of the library management system, e‐Granthalaya, for public libraries in India. This is an initiative of the Indian government's National Informatics Centre (NIC). The paper outlines the challenges and the potential of a full‐scale deployment of this software at a national level.Design/methodology/approachThe project is being implemented in various phases depending on the funds, infrastructure and willingness of the various state governments and library authorities. This case study provides an understanding of the challenges confronted by the NIC in the scale and scope of the deployment of e‐Granthalaya. The national effort towards a “single window access” is constructively undertaken with an infrastructure deployment phase followed by a services integration phase: both of these are undertaken in tandem with local conditions and technological developments.FindingsThe proposed end‐product is a web‐based online library service connecting public libraries in India and integrating library services in a “single window access”. The authors conclude that there is a need for greater orchestration of funding provision, acquisitions of systems, data entry of catalogues, hosting and so on.Research limitations/implicationsThe project will be useful as a model for the automation, networking and federating of resources for other groups of libraries in India.Originality/valueThe paper is a case study of design, development and implementation of the e‐Granthalaya software in India's public libraries.

A public library is basically a free library financed by public funds, it provides unbiased services to all members of the local community. The libraries of ancient and medieval period were managed and supported by kings, big capitalists and scholars of repute. During 17th and 18th century, the development of libraries received a momentum due to rise of European settlement in India. The modern notion of free library service has come to India from the western countries. Public libraries in India are established throughout the country and are located in all states, district, talukas as well as village levels. There is one state central library in every state. The development of public libraries in any state is the responsibility of the respective state government. Library legislation in the states ensures the adequate funds and other resources available for public libraries.

The growth of public libraries in India has paralleled the directions of national interest. Libraries received great attention and support during the social movements which accompanied inde- pendence. Today, libraries must struggle for funds, space and trained staff to serve the multilingual and multicultural needs of their com- munities effectively. Successful examples of two types of public li- braries are examined and described. The Connemara Public Library of Madras is a government-supported library in a large city with responsibilities for regional support and depository status. The Kot- tayam Public Library is a subscription library in a medium-sized commercial center and college town.

The public library system in India obliges pressing serious cosmetic touch up. An enormous financing and support service system is required for public libraries in India today to make them true information resource centers for individuals. Public-Private Partnership (PPP) is the best answer for changing the current state of the public library system of India. This will support the overall development of people, in the general library framework and guarantee the procurement of valuable information services. This paper gives a fundamental thought towards the current status of public libraries in India and the necessity for change through a public-private partnership.

National and public libraries in India: Review and projections

This article is devoted to the formation and development of system of public libraries in India and their place in the educational, social, cultural and informational space of the country. The formation of the library system in India occurred during the complex colonial and post-colonial periods of its history. It took place in the conditions of underdevelopment, the uneven social, political and cultural development of the regions, ethnolinguistic disunity, and mass illiteracy of the population, dominating in the society of caste, religious and gender prejudices. The article demonstrates that public libraries in India, beginning with their appearance in the first half of the 19th century, had a special mission. They were considered not only as repositories of books, but, first of all, as centers of education, aimed to spread the knowledge, fight with ignorance by introducing to the reading, to raise the cultural and intellectual level of Indian society, thereby contributing to its prosperity. The article describes the main stages and directions of state policy of India in the field of librarianship from the early nineteenth to the late twentieth century, recounts the history of the founding of the National library, emphasized the role of Raja Rammohan Roy Library Foundation. In separate section there is considered the contribution to the library and information science of S.R. Ranganathan, the outstanding leader of Indian culture.

This paper discuss some of the problems of public libraries and their role in digital era with some possible solution for improving their states. In India majority of people live in rural areas and new technologies are not accessible from remote villages, therefore a wide-gapes has been evolved between the libraries of knowledge haves and knowledge have-notes. Today internet and web technologies open up new ways of interactive communication between public libraries and the civil societies. So we can say a proposal for ICT driven public libraries for Indian states with suitable library extension programmes to help the entire rural as well as urban community especially unprivileged masses.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study globally successful public library systems with reference to their infrastructure, physical space, services, collection, processes, finances and best practices and recommend models, structure and minimum standards for smart public libraries of the upcoming 100 smart cities of India.Design/methodology/approachAn email with 14 questions was sent to 50 public library system across the world. A sample of n = 18 responses were received.FindingsThe finding suggests that all the libraries have a central library and a good network of branch libraries across respective cities with adequate staff and collection to cater to the needs of the public. The size of the central library varied from 8,000 m2 (Cologne Public Library) – 86,000 m2 (Boston public library) and average size of the branch library varied from 200 m2 (Aarhaus) – 1,582 m2 (Barcelona). Monthly average users varied from 96,000 (Moscow) – 1.5 million (Toronto).Social implicationsThe Indian public library system remains uneven throughout the country with varying levels of legislation, financing and quality of library services. Even a room with few books is considered as a library. The results of this study will help develop a quality public library system of global standard and ensure that libraries are transformed into knowledge hubs.Originality/valueThis study is a unique exploration in which different types of libraries are defined in terms of physical space, service, staff, collection based on a global model which ensures uniform growth and development of public library systems in upcoming smart cities of India.

The paper highlights the importance and need for public libraries in a knowledge society. It describes the present state of public libraries and examines various factors responsible for the failure of public library system. The author proposed certain structural changes and corrective steps to make them viable enable public libraries to provide the required information services to the users. At the end of the paper reiterates the relevance and the role of public library as a vibrant space for community development.

Rural Connectivity is the lifeline of Indian economy. India is a land of diversity with different types of terrain, various agro-climatic conditions, different levels of socio-economic conditions, and varied levels of regional development. At the beginning of the new millennium, 260 million people in the country did not have incomes to access a consumption basket, which defines the poverty line. Sustainable livelihood is a multi-faceted concept. Rural India thus desires to take advantage of “knowledge-intensive” techniques for its sustainable development and sustainable consumption. Grassroots level Information access (Contents) and Grassroots level access to Information (Networking) are the two essential components for grassroots level development strategies through ICT. Community Information and Communication Centres (CICC), as a concept and model, aim to “boost efficiency and enhance market” integration through Internet/ Intranet technologies for sustainable remote/regional development at grassroots level. Libraries can play an important role and participate in community action and enhance their function as proactive catalysts of social change. Community Information & Communication Networks in India empower disadvantaged community for effective information & communication, in view of the stated pronouncement of “India to become Knowledge Society”, and also facilitate “social inclusion” of marginalised rural poor to access knowledge and information. There are about 56000 Public Libraries (which include 51000 at village level), 400000 School Libraries, 11000 University/College Libraries, 13000 R&D Libraries, 28 State Libraries, and 526 District Libraries in India. Only 8.4% of the Villages have access to Public Libraries in India. Rural Public Libraries are a part of this revolution and will serve as the backbone for “literacy mission and poverty alleviation”. There are empirical evidences to support that rural digital libraries will sustain Community Information & Communication Centres (e-Community Centres). Granthalaya, a Sanskrit word means ‘Library’. This chapter deals with “e-Granthalaya: a digital agenda of library automation and networking” facilitating “rural digital libraries” and promoting “local contents” through UNICODE and interoperability capabilities of XML. Networked Library environment play an important role in rural revitalization, as libraries have emerged as asunrise industrydue to globalization and liberalization at regional level, and decentralization trends at grassroots level.

This article dives into a captivating journey, unraveling the intricate tapestry of challenges, opportunities, and Governmental strides shaping the vibrant realm of Public Libraries in India. Not just that, it delves into the fascinating history, dissecting the state of these libraries before and after independence. Venturing beyond the surface, this exploration delves into the heart of matters. It exposes the pivotal role the Government plays in nurturing these havens of intellect, sparking a deeper appreciation for their contribution. Going beyond surface-level observations, this discourse penetrates the core of the subject and highlights the indispensable role of government in nurturing these bastions of intelligence. The article does not end here; Instead, it serves as a repository of solutions, addressing urgent needs for financial support, essential resources and innovative strategies that highlight a visionary path forward. With its interesting, practical and forward-looking approach, this article serves as a guiding compass, taking us through the complex labyrinth of library development. Intriguing, insightful, and forward-looking, this article is a compass guiding us through the intricate maze of library development. It promises to captivate your mind and ignite your curiosity, leaving you with a newfound respect for the past, present, and the limitless potential of Public Libraries in India.

To understand the relevance of contemporary public libraries in India, and how these institutions help to foster community engagement, this paper focuses on the civic engagement initiatives undertaken by the State Library Council in Kerala, India. The council has introduced several community forums at public libraries across Kerala such as Children’s forum, Women’s forum, Youth forum and Elderly forum. Each forum focuses on specific demographics within the community who take part in various programs offered by the library based on their needs. A structured questionnaire was distributed to 111 public librarians across Kerala, followed by interviews with librarians, and direct observations in libraries, which helped gather information on how public libraries are conducting a range of community programs to boost civic participation. The libraries selected for this research included the State library, District libraries, Taluk libraries, Village libraries, Grama panchayat libraries, Municipal libraries and Tribal libraries. The findings show that village libraries play a prominent role in organising civic engagement initiatives when they design and run community forums that suit patrons’ different needs.

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