1. Introduction: In 1770, John Andrews established a circulating library at Fort
William, Calcutta. Later on it was converted into a public library. A few
public libraries started appearing sporadically here and there during the same
period in this country. The notable among them are Asha Granthalaya, Waltair
(1800), Calcutta Literary Society’s Library (1818), United Services Library, Poona (1818), Raghunandan Library, Puri
(1821), Bombay General Library (1830), etc.
2. National Library of
India: Calcutta Public Library was established in
1835. It was meant to serve the needs of all ranks and classes without
distinction. It was opened on 21 March 1836 for the public. The then Governor
General, Lord Metcalf transferred 4,675 volumes from the library of the College
of Fort William to the Calcutta Public Library.
The Imperial Library was founded in 1891 by combining a number of
Secretariat libraries. Lord Curzon, Viceroy and Governor General of India in
the early years of the twentieth century, is usually credited with the idea of
opening a library in Kolkata for public use. He found that the Imperial Library
and Calcutta Public Library were not being used as expected because of limited
access and lack of amenities. He decided to merge the collection of Calcutta
Public Library with that of the Imperial Library, subject to certain terms. Lord
Curzon bought the rights of the Library from the proprietors and later merged
it with the Official Imperial Library consisting of government departmental
libraries of the East India Company. The new library, called Imperial Library,
was formally opened to the public on 30 January 1903 at Metcalf Hall, Kolkata. John
Macfarlane, Assistant Librarian of the British Museum, London, was appointed as
the first Librarian of the Imperial Library. Later on, Khan Bahadur M.A.
Asadulla was appointed librarian and he continued in office till July 1947.
In 1948, one year after the independence of India, Imperial Library of
Calcutta (Kolkata) was transformed into National Library (of India) through the “Imperial Library Act” (change of name) 1948
and was transferred from the Esplanade to the Viceroy’s Palace in Calcutta,
namely, the Belvedere Palace. On 1 February 1953, the National Library was
opened to the public, inaugurated by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. B. S. Kesavan was
appointed as the first Librarian of the National Library. The Library is under
the Department of Culture, Ministry of Tourism & Culture, Government of
India. Till 2019, Shri Shravan Kumar is the Director General (head of the
institution) and Dr. K. K. Kochukoshy is the Officer on Special Duty of the National
Library.
3. Central Reference
Library: The Central Reference Library (CRL) is a
subordinate office of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. This
institution has been curved out of the National Library in order to compile the
Indian National Bibliography (INB) after the promulgation of the Delivery of
Books Act, 1954. After 1970, it began to function under an independent
Librarian cum General Editor instead of previous custom of Librarian of
National Library working as General Editor of INB. Now-a-days, CRL functions as
a separate subordinate office of the Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India with its
own independent position of a Librarian. CRL publishes the Indian National Bibliography
and Index Indiana. Till 2019, Dr. K. K. Kochukoshy is the Librarian cum General
Editor of CRL and Shri Pradip Kumar Upadhaya is the Head of Office. The aims
and objectives of Central Reference Library is (i) Compilation and sale of the
Indian National Bibliography which is an authoritative record for books
published in the fourteen Indian Languages and English in Roman script and in
respective languages and (ii) Compilation and sale of Index Indiana (in Roman
Script) an index to selected articles appearing in current Indian language
periodicals.
4. Connemera Public
Library: In 1860, a small library was established
by Jean Mitchel in Madras as a part of the Museum. This library
which is known as Connemera Public Library, Madras (Chennai) was opened to the public in December, 1896. This library can be claimed
to be the first true public library, and only a nominal refundable deposit was
required. The Connemara Public Library
in Madras became the State Central Library in 1950 under the provision of
Madras Public Libraries Act 1948, and became one of the three depository
libraries in 1955.
5. Delhi Public Library: In 1951 the Delhi Public Library was established by the Ministry of
Education, Government of India in collaboration with UNESCO. Now it is being
managed by Delhi Library Board. It has a Central Library, a zonal library at
Sarojini Nagar, and three branches at Patel Nagar, Karol Bagh and Shahdara and
sub-branches and community libraries at different places in the National
Capital Region of Delhi. Delhi Public Library is functioning as depository libraries.
6. Asiatic Society of Bombay:
Asiatic Society Library, Bombay (now Mumbai) was
established in 1804. The renamed as the Asiatic Society of Bombay was done in
2002. It is funded by an annual grant
from the Central Government of India and form a depository library. The library is housed in the Town Hall
(colloquially Called “Tondal” in the 19th century).
7. Khuda Bakhsh Oriental
Public Library, Patna: In 1876, Khuda Baksh Oriental Public Library
(Patna) was established. Maulvi Muhammod Baksh Khan, on his death left a
collection of 1500 manuscripts. It formed the nucleus of the library. In 1891,
the library was opened to the public. The Govt. of India declared the Library
as Institution of National Importance by an act of Parliament in 1969 which is
now fully funded by the Ministry of Culture (Govt. of India).
8. Rampur Raza Library,
Rampur: Rampur
Raza Library, Rampur, Uttar Pradesh was founded by Nawab Faizullah Khan in 1774
AD. The Government of India took over the library on 1st July 1975
under the Act of Parliament, which declared it as an institution of National
importance. Now the Library occupies the position of an autonomous institution
of national importance under Department of Culture, Government of India and is
fully funded by Central Government.
9. Thanjavur Maharaja
Serfoji's Sarasvati Mahal Library, Thanjavur: The Thanjavur
Maharaja Serfoji's Sarasvati Mahal Library houses a rich and rare collection of
manuscripts on art, culture and literature. Conceived and christened as the
Royal Palace Library by the Nayak Kings of Thanjavur (1535-1675 AD). In 1918
this Library was made as a public Library. In 1983, the Library was declared as
an Institution of National Importance. A body constituted by the Government and
financed by the Central and State Governments now administers the library
located at Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu.
10. Contribution of Maharaja
Sayaji Rao Gaekwad III towards Public Libraries: The
development of public libraries as a movement may be said to have started by
Maharaja Sayaji Rao Gaekwad III, the ruler of Baroda state in 1906. A detailed plan to open
Circulating Libraries in the State was approved in March, 1907 under his
guidance. He established a separate Library Department with Mr. William
Allenson Borden - an American librarian as the first full time Director of
State Libraries. The next step was to establish a Central Library at Baroda
with a nucleus collection of 88,764 volumes which included the Maharaja’s
private collection of about 20,000 books. A full time Curator of Libraries with
staff strength of around 50 was appointed to manage it. He also launched
publication of a quarterly journal called Library Miscellany in English,
Gujarati and Marathi with Shri J. S. Kodalkar as its first editor, started Library
Associations from Taluk level, organized ‘Mitra Mandal’ (friendly groups in the
libraries) in the town and village libraries and organized regular library
conferences. The contribution made by Maharaja Sayajirao III would be written
in golden letters in the history of public library movement in India.
11. Contribution of S. R.
Ranganathan towards Public Libraries: The
contribution of S. R. Ranganathan is unique and remarkable. He is regarded as
the father of Indian library movement. The idea of an integrated library system
was first introduced by him at the first “All Asia Educational Conference” held
at Benerai in Andhra Pradesh in 1930. There he presented a model library act
that form the basis of the Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka library
legislation and as a whole the subsequent library legislation in India.
12. Contribution of Other
People towards Public Libraries: The library
movement in Baroda originated as the peoples movement
under the leadership of Motibhai Amin (a public leader) in the form of Mitra
Mandal (Society of Friends) as early as 1906 which received state patronage in
1960. Newton Mohan Dutta, curator of libraries at Baroda also did good work. There has been a
number of pioneers who made contribution to the library movement in Andhra
Pradesh. Out of them, Sir Iyyanki
Venkata Ramanayya holds a place of pride. From Bengal we have the name of Monindra Dev Rai
Mahashaya. Master Motilal (1876-1949), by his own effort and meager
resource established Shri Sanmati Pustakalaya (a public library) in Jaipur in
1920. From Punjab we had Sant Ram Bhatia, who played an important role in
promoting the cause of public libraries in Punjab.
In Assam, the library movement at
its true spirit was led by Late Kumudeshar Barthakur (1893-8th November 1966), a retired Secondary
School teacher under the brand name of Assam Library Association.
13. Role of UNESCO: India became a
member of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
on 4 November 1946. UNESCO for the first time started the first pilot project
in library in India by establishing the Delhi Public Library in October 1951.
This later on developed into Delhi Public Library. The main aim of this project
was to provide information on the problem of public library service for the
parts of India in particular and for Asia in general. UNESCO also brought out a publication namely
“Public Library Manifesto” 1949. 1972 was proclaimed by UNESCO as the
International Book Year (IBY). As a contribution to the International Book Year
in 1972 UNESCO requested the Section of Public Libraries within IFLA to revise
the Manifesto on Public Libraries issued in 1949. A revised Manifesto,
reflecting changes in the public library situation in the last 20 years, was
accepted by UNESCO in January 1972. It was published in the June 1972 issue of
the UNESCO Bulletin for Libraries. Since 1972 when the UNESCO Public Library
Manifesto was issued radical changes have taken place inside the public library
as well as outside. The considered opinion of the Standing Committee of Public
Libraries is that a revision of this important document in order to reflect
changes which have occurred since publication should be undertaken and as a
result a new revised version is proposed to UNESCO in 1994.
14. Role of Raja Rammohun
Roy Library (RRRLF): In 1972, Raja Rammohun Roy
Library Foundation (RRRLF) was established. RRRLF is registered under the West
Bengal Societies Registration Act, 1961. It is the nodal agency of Government
of India to support public library services and systems and promote public
library movement in the country. Its headquarters is located at Kolkata. RRRLF
functions as a promotional agency, an advisory and consultancy organization, a
funding body for public library development in India.
15. Role Delivery of Books “and Newspapers” (Public
Libraries) Act, 1956: In 1954 Indian parliament passed Delivery of Books and Newspaper Act which
was further amended as the Delivery of Books “and Newspapers” (Public
Libraries) Amendment Act 1956 to include serials as well. The Delivery of Books (Public
Libraries) Act, 1954 extends to the whole of India except the state of Jammu and
Kashmir. According to this Act, the publisher of every book, newspaper or
serial must deliver at his own expense a copy of the book within thirty days from
the date of its publication to the National Library at Calcutta
16. Role of National
Knowledge Commission (NKC): National Knowledge Commission (NKC) was
set up in the year 2005 with Sam Pitroda as Chairman. The NKC submitted its
report in the year 2007. The
title document of National Knowledge Commission on Libraries’ is “Libraries: Gateways
to Knowledge, A Roadmap for Revitalization”. Many of the recommendations of
the NKC are already in the implementation stage by different ministries of the
Government. This includes areas such as Libraries, e-governance and
translation.
17. Role of National
Mission on Libraries (NML): National Mission on Libraries has been set up by
Ministry of Culture, Government of India on 4th May, 2012 in
pursuance of National Knowledge Commission recommendations for sustained
attention for development of Libraries and Information Science Sector. Under NML
Model Libraries, it planned to develop 6 Libraries under Ministry of Culture,
35 State Central Libraries and 35 District Libraries with particular emphasis
on economically backward districts, as model Libraries. In addition, 629
district libraries across the states would be provided network connectivity.
18.
Role of Library Legislation: In order to achieve the second law of
Library Science it is desirable that economy factor should not stand as a
barrier. This will be possible through library legislation, which will provide
for finance of public libraries at various levels to achieve free library
services for all. In India, twenty one states have
so far enacted library legislation and the rest are providing library services
without legislation.
19. Conclusion: In 1808 the
Bombay Government initiated a proposal to register libraries, which were to be
given copies of books published from the ‘Funds for the Encouragement of
Literature’. This is the first significant year in the
development of public libraries in India. The contribution of Maharaja Sayaji
Rao Gaekwad III and S. R. Ranganathan for the public libraries will be always
remembered. The Delivery of Books and Newspaper Act also play
a major role for the collection building in the four public libraries including
the National Library of India. The Central Government through RRRLF providing
different grant and assistance to the public libraries. The states that have
the Public Library legislation is expected to promote the public libraries by
supporting it from the back end.
How to Cite this
Article?
APA Citation, 7th Ed.: Barman, B. (2020). A comprehensive book on Library and Information Science. New
Publications.
Chicago 16th Ed.: Barman, Badan. A Comprehensive Book on Library and Information Science. Guwahati:
New Publications, 2020.
MLA Citation 8th Ed: Barman, Badan. A Comprehensive Book on Library and Information Science. New
Publications, 2020.
Dr. Badan Barman
at present working as an Assistant Professor in the
Department of Library and Information Science, Gauhati University,
Guwahati-781014, Assam, India. He is the creator of the LIS Links (http://www.lislinks.com) - India’s most popular social networking
website for Library and Information Science professionals. He also created the Open Access Journals Search Engine (OAJSE) (http://www.oajse.com), UGC NET Guide (http://www.netugc.com), Assam Archive (http://www.assamarchive.com) and LIS Study (http://www.lisstudy.com) website.
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