Historical Development of Libraries in India
India's library tradition runs from ancient centres like Nalanda and Takshashila, through the manuscript collections of medieval courts and mathas, to the establishment of modern public libraries under colonial rule. Post-independence, landmark committees shaped the field: the Sinha Committee (1958) examined public library development, and the Kothari Commission (1964–66) addressed library needs within the wider education system; states subsequently began enacting their own Public Library Acts starting with Tamil Nadu in 1948.
Types of Libraries
| Type | Primary purpose |
|---|---|
| Academic | Supports teaching, learning, and research in schools, colleges, and universities |
| Public | Serves the general community; free and open access, funded by government/local body |
| Special | Serves a specific organisation or subject field (corporate, R&D, government department) |
| National | Apex library of a country, collects and preserves the nation's published output (e.g., National Library of India, Kolkata) |
Library Legislation and Library Acts
Library legislation provides the statutory basis for funding, organising, and maintaining public library systems. Several Indian states have enacted their own Public Library Acts, beginning with Tamil Nadu (1948) and followed by others over subsequent decades. Two central Acts are also relevant:
- The Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867 — regulates printing presses and the registration of books.
- The Delivery of Books and Newspapers (Public Libraries) Act, 1954 — mandates that publishers deposit copies of every book/newspaper published in India with designated national libraries.
Ranganathan’s Five Laws of Library Science
Formulated by Dr. S.R. Ranganathan in 1931, these five laws remain the philosophical foundation of the profession:
- Books are for use.
- Every reader his/her book.
- Every book its reader.
- Save the time of the reader.
- A library is a growing organism.
Librarianship as a Profession
Librarianship qualifies as a profession by virtue of its specialised body of knowledge, formal education and certification requirements, a code of professional ethics, service orientation, and organised professional associations. Core professional skills include collection development, reference and information services, knowledge organisation, digital literacy, and user education; professional ethics demand confidentiality, equitable access, intellectual freedom, and neutrality.
Professional Associations
| National | International |
|---|---|
| ILA (Indian Library Association), IASLIC (Indian Association of Special Libraries and Information Centres), IATLIS (Indian Association of Teachers of Library and Information Science) | IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations), ALA (American Library Association), CILIP (Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, UK), ASLIB, SLA (Special Libraries Association) |
UGC funds and regulates LIS education and library development in universities; RRRLF (Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation) promotes public library development across India; UNESCO supports library and information infrastructure globally, including its Public Library Manifesto.
Library and Information Science Education in India
LIS education in India began with training courses in the early 20th century and evolved into formal certificate, diploma, Bachelor's (BLIS), Master's (MLIS), M.Phil, and Ph.D. programmes offered by universities across the country, regulated in curriculum design partly through UGC model curricula.
Library Public Relations and Extension Activities
Public relations activities (exhibitions, newsletters, social media presence, open days) build community awareness and support for the library, while extension activities (outreach programmes, mobile libraries, reading promotion campaigns) actively extend services beyond the physical building to underserved populations.
Types of Users, User Studies, User Education
User studies investigate the information needs, seeking behaviour, and satisfaction of different user groups (students, faculty, researchers, general public) to inform service design. User education (library orientation, information literacy instruction) trains users to locate, evaluate, and use information resources effectively.
Information Literacy
Information literacy is the set of abilities to recognise when information is needed and to locate, evaluate, and use it effectively and ethically.
- Areas: defining a need, searching, evaluating sources, using information ethically.
- Standards/Models: ACRL Framework for Information Literacy, Big6 model, SCONUL Seven Pillars.
- Trends: integration with digital literacy and media literacy, embedding IL instruction within the curriculum rather than as a standalone session.