Maharashtra Public Libraries Act, 1967

Maharashtra State was constituted with the areas of Western Maharashtra, Marathwada, Vidarbha, and by amalgamating princely states like Kolhapur, in the year 1960. Even though there were ef forts for library legislation from 1940 onwards, it could succeed only in the year 1967, by enacting of Maharashtra Public Libraries Act.

The main features of this Act are given hereunder:

1) Constitution of State Library Council by the Government, Minister for Education shall be the Ex-of ficio President of the Council. The Council will advise the State Government “on all matters connected with the administration of this Act.”

2) Constitution of a separate Department of Libraries, and the appointment of a professional as its Director.

3) Establishment of a State Central Library and a Divisional Library for each division.

4) Constitution of a District Library Committee for every district.The Chairman of the Education Committee of the Zilla Parishad functioning in the district, as the Ex-of ficio President of the Committee. In case of the Committee of Greater Bombay, the Chairman of the Education Committee of the Municipal Corporation shall be the Ex-of ficio President of the Committee.

5) Establishment of Maharashtra State Library Service and to treat all members of such service as Government servants.

6) There is no library cess. The Government shall contribute to the library fund every year, a sum not less than 25 lakh rupees. The Government may make special grants to library fund.

7) Grant-in-aid to public libraries or ganised by voluntary or ganisations.

Andhra Pradesh Public Libraries Act, 1960

When Andhra Pradesh was formed in 1956, comprising Andhra areas of composite Madras State and Telangana area of Hyderabad State; Madras Public Libraries Act was in force in Andhra area. So, administrative problems were bound to be there, when two separate Acts are in operation in