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About Department

Government of Karnataka

Department of Public Libraries

 

Public Library Department is An Open Institution

 

         Public Libraries Act has come into force since 1965 in Karnataka.  Karnataka has been the third state in the country to come under Library Act.  Under the act, a network of about Thousand Thirty Two libraries have been functioning all over the State.  Public Library is an institution established by the Government in order to inculcate interest in education, communication and reading among the General Public.  It is an open public service system. 

 

       The main purpose of this system is to help people to develop interest in literature and culture.   Public Library system serves as a dynamic force giving people knowledge, continuing education and information.  “Public Libraries are people’s university” It is a democratic institution working on democratic principles.

 

 

Details of the Public Library Department:-

 

         The network of the libraries includes state Central Library at the state level, District Central Libraries at the District level and City Central Libraries at all places having a population of more than one lakh together with libraries at the taluk, municipality levels.

 

         For the proper functioning of Public Libraries, the Library authorities are functioning throughout the state at state, city and District levels.

 

Activities of the department of Public Libraries are grouped as under.

 

  • State Central Library: - It is an apex Public Library equipped with reference books and source books in all languages on all subjects. Copyright, Computer, browsing section, Braille Books, career information, periodicals sections are some of the important sections of the library

 

 

  • City Central Libraries:-Under the Karnataka Public Library Act, 1965 there are 26 City Central Libraries with branch libraries serving in the State. The Bangalore City Central Libraries have been bifurcated into 5 zones. Namely East, West, North, South and Central for the smooth administration. As 198 Wards are there in Bangalore. Among these Wards Branch Libraries are functioning and providing service to the public.

 

  • District Central Libraries:- There are 30 Districts Libraries in the State as per the section 16(1)(b) of Karnataka Public Libraries Act, 1965. Its 703 branch Libraries are serving the Public. In all district centres which has city central libraries in the city and District Central library’s offices only.

 

  • Mobile Libraries:- There are 13 mobile Libraries functioning, to  inculcate the reading habit to the public at their own door steps in different parts of the City in the State.  This has been accepted as a popular library service rendered by the Department.

 

  • Gram Panchayat Libraries:- There are 5766 Gram Panchayat Libraries in the State. These libraries are helping to a great extent to our rural community.  It is of first time in India to have the Libraries in all the gram panchayats.

 

 

 

  • Indira Priyadarshini Children Library: - Indira Priyadarshini children Library is established in 1994 at Cubbon Park, Bangalore. There are separate Children sections maintained in many City and District Libraries which provides useful and entertaining books for the children.

 

 

  • Community Children Centres:-31 Community Children centres are functioning in all the 30 districts in the state. In these centres children books, computer section, toys section for the entertainment has been arranged. The interior section is decorated to attract the children. These centres will help in the overall development of the children. 

 

  1. Nomadic and Slum Libraries: - 127 libraries have been started for the use of nomadic. These libraries are started in the areas of nomadic. Accordingly, 100 Slum libraries have been started under this project in the slum areas also. These libraries are provided with books, periodicals furniture. The Honorarium of the staff working in these centres has been raised according as per the Government Order.

 

  1. Modernization of Libraries:- To commemorate the centenary of State Central Library budget declaration No.113 was made in 2018-19. Accordingly 30 District Central Libraries, 26 City Central Libraries 216 Taluk libraries are upgraded as Digital libraries and for the first time digital Library services are provided to 10 lakh students of High School & PU College through cloud based technology.

 

 

  • Cultural Activities: -

Cultural activities are being conducted to create awareness among the Public about reading habit and its use.  National Library week will be celebrated on 14th to 20th November every year on this occasion seminars, poet meet, book exhibition, various competitions are conducted in the City, District & its branches Libraries throughout the State.  On April 23rd is celebrated as “World Book Day” every year. To inculcate reading habits among children, various Competitions are held during this occasion.

            As per the Government Order No. ED 154 LIB 2007 August 12th will be celebrated as ‘Librarians day’ which is birth anniversary of    Dr. S.R. Ranganathan who is the father of the Library Science. Eminent professionals will be felicitated on this occasion and also “Jatha” is organized in various streets in the city and District level.

 

 

 

  • Training in Library Science: -

     Library Training centres have been functioning in four Places i.e. Bangalore, Dharwad, Kalburgi and Mangalore to give the training in Library Science for the Employees of the Library who have not obtained the training. Information will be given about administrative and the technical subject by arranging the refreshing camps from time to time to the department staff. 80 candidates will be selected for each batch.

 

 

  • Book Selection and Purchase Method

 

                    As per the Government order book selection committee has been framed. This Committee selects the books for the respected years and the list of selected books be sent to all the City/Dist. Central Libraries in the State for purchase of the same.

 

         The Selection of books is centralized whereas the purchase of book is decentralized.  Out of the budget allocated for the purchase of books 80% is for Kannada books and 20% for English and other language books. Single window system has been introduced and implemented as per the guidelines and of books are procured for the Libraries. Govt Order No: ED 01/ LIB/ 2004/Bangalore DT: 07-02-2005 book are purchase from Authors and Publishers. And this scheme is a continuous process.

 

Last Updated: 05-09-2020 03:49 PM Updated By: Shilpa C V


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