Explained: Why Punjab still doesn’t have its own Public Library Act

The Public Library act is a legislation, which gives local administration powers to establish public libraries with the assistance from the state and the central governments. As of now, 19 states have enacted their own Public Libraries Act with Tamil Nadu (formerly Madras) being the first one to implement it way back in 1948. Kerala, Karnataka, Gujarat, Odisha and neighboring Haryana are among others that have enacted their own legislation.

What is Punjab’s take on the legislation?

The Punjab Library Association is making efforts since 1948 to get a Pubjab Public Library Act enacted. In 2011, during the SAD-BJP regime, The Punjab Public Library and Information Services Bill was introduced in the Cabinet meeting by then education minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan. The draft of the Bill was accepted by the then chief minister Parkash Singh Badal. “However the model code of conduct was implemented soon after that and the matter was put in the cold storage. The SAD-BJP combine returned to power and later Congress came to power in 2017, but the draft never saw light of the day,” said Makhan Lal Garg, coordinator, Punjab Library Association, and member of Punjab Library and Librarians’ Council.

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What has Punjab Library Association been doing?

The association members have sent several reminders to the state government. On Sunday (February 23, 2020), the association members are meeting in Barnala to hold deliberations on the issue, so as to raise the matter with state government yet again at a common platform

What are the benefits of the Public Libraries Act?

This legislation mandates that 70 per cent financial assistance for opening a public library will come from Centre and the remaining is borne by the state government. “This Act can thus help in opening more and more libraries, as has been done in South India where people have libraries even in their homes. It can inculcate reading habits among youngsters as well as adults. As of now over 100 public libraries are operational in Punjab, which people are running on their own or with the support fromnthe NRIs,” added Garg. Harish Moudgil, another member of the association, said, “I am running one such library in Pakhowal village in Ludhiana on my own.”

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What is history of Punjab Public libraries and its present scenario?

The partition shook Punjab as many of its big libraries were located in Lahore. First Punjab Public Library was established in Lahore in 1884. The first Municipal Library in Ludhiana, however, was started way back in 1878. Punjab currently has a state library in Patiala, 14 district libraries, 104 municipal libraries, and 1200 rural libraries. These libraries are being managed by Directorate of Public Instructions. However the condition of most of these libraries is not very encouraging.