CHAPTER V RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY LIBRARY FOUNDATION (RRLF) The year 1972 was an important year in the library movement history of the country. The year was celebrated as silver Jubilee of its independence. This year was also observed as the International Book year with the motto of Books for all emphasizing on encouraging reading habits among the people for their livelihood. Similarly, it was a bicentennial Birth Anniversary of great social reformer of Indian Raja Ram Mohan Roy emphasized the requirement of higher education for the progress of the country. In this year, Raja Ram Mohan Roy foundation was established on 20th May 1972 by the Indian Government to motivate public library and information services and systems and to boost movement of public libraries in the nation. 0
RRRLF is an independent body in the centre created and fully funded by the Cultural Ministry, Indian Government. Raja Rammohan Roy Library Foundation is listed under the Societies Registration Act of 1961 of West Bengal. As a cental office of the Indian Government for public library systems and services and boost movement of public libraries in India to be on par with the objectives as incorporated in its Association Memorandum. The Foundation is the highest policy-making body of RRRLF. Government of India appoints 22 members chosen from the eminent administrators, librarians, and senior officials educationists. The Department of Culture Ministry of Government or his candidate is the Chairperson of the foundation. Director General is the administrative head and ex-officio Member-Secretary of RRLF. The Foundation works for every State and U.T. through a system known as Library Committee of State or State Library Committee (SLC). The Foundation works hand in hand with association and active cooperation between State Governments and Union Territories. Departments through State Library Planning Committee (SLPC/SLC) system are setup in every State at the instance of the Foundation. A State Government or U.T. is required to provide a certain amount of funds fixed by the Foundation to participate in Foundation's programmes. From 2005-06, the Foundation also took efforts to develop the (DYRC) i.e. District Youth Resource Centre in association with Nehru Yuvak Kendra Sangathan, an independent institution which works under the jurisdiction of Sports & Youth Affairs Ministry. Its Head Quarter is located at Kolkatta. The Assistant Field Officers of The Zonal Offices are keeping vigilance on the effect of help rendered by the foundation for increasing activities in the following zones such as: East Zonal Office at Kolkatta, Northern Office at New Delhi, South Zone Office at Chennai and Western Zone Office at Mumbai. 1
ORGANISATIONAL CHART Chairman Director Deputy Director System Manager Deputy Director Imp. Insp. & Mont. Admin. & Accounts Assistant Director Assistant Director FO FO FO FO Section Statistical Program Section Accounts NZ SZ EZ WZ Officer Officer -mer Officer Officer Inspection & Monitoring Imple ment ation Secretariat & Statistics Librar y & Resea rch Co mpu ter Ad min istr atio Accounts OBJECTIVE OF RRRLF The foundation is a nodal agency for the promotion of the library services of public libraries of the country. To promote and support public library movement in the country is the main aim of the foundation. To achieve this, the reading habits of the people are encouraged. For this adequate library services are provided, and this objective can be achieved in the country with positive co-operation of Union Territories and state government, voluntary organization working in the field of library services, adult education and cultural activities, and etc.. The main objectives are as follows: To initiate a policy at national level and to create a library system at national level. Offering technical support and financial assistance in the libraries. 2
To have a stable growth in library and information centers throughout the country. To work as a nodal agency for clearing of ideas and knowledge on library growth in India and abroad. To advocate research in the field of library development. To inform the right people at the right time in the government in detail about the library development. To help adopting library legislation in the country. To extend financial support to the organizations at regional and national level to help them in the promotion of library development. Programme of Assistance: RRLF boost public library services through funding assistant to the public libraries as per different scheme. The are two schemes of assistance : 1. Matching Scheme 2. Non Matching Scheme Matching Scheme: Under this scheme help is provided from the sources shared on relevant grant basis with the states and/or Union Territories Administration on the basis of developed state with the ratio of 50:50, underdeveloped and lagging states with the ratio of 60:40, and States of North-Eastern are have the ratio of 90:10,. From 2005 it was implemented. The relevant help accordingly is provided to gain following objectives. For developing adequate collection of books and reading materials. For developing book deposit centers in rural areas and also initiates mobile library services. For organizing book exhibitions, seminars, training courses and workshops. For storage, display of books. Maintaining room furniture in the reading areas. For expanding area of small libraries which are below district level libraries. For acquiring TV cum-vcp sets for educational purposes and computers for library application for the libraries which are below state central library. For creating network of public libraries. 3
Statement of Grants released under the above mentioned plan of financial support to public libraries to acquire TV including VCP for academic purpose and computer for use in library in their routine work during the year 2012-13. Sr. No. Name of the State /UT No of Libraries Amount (Rs.) 1 ASSAM 07 52,55,976.00 2 GUJARAT 10 15,71,241.00 3 TRIPURA 01 3,266.00 4 UTTAR 75 1,62,68,742.00 PRADESH 5 MANIPUR 1 9,38,995.00 6 MAHARASHTRA 105 50,56,065.00 7 WEST BENGAL 225 32384074.00 TOTAL 424 61478359.00 Scheme for Non Matching: RRRLF gives full support under this scheme from its own sources to achieve following objectives. Support for developing adequate collection of books and other materials through selection from the centre. Support to voluntary institutions which provide public library and information services.. Support is given to libraries of children or children s department of general public library which also includes senior citizen section and women section. Support is provided to public libraries for celebrating fifty years, hundred years, or one twenty five years of establishment. Support for, gathering and agglomeration of library statistics through official or non official agencies. Support to centrally Supported libraries. Support for organizing seminars, conferences by national level library organizations. 4
Statement of Grant released under the Non-matching Scheme of Support to the Public Libraries towards Celebration of 50 or 60 or 75 or100 or 125 and 150 Years and like during the year 2012-13. Sr. No. Name of the State No of Libraries Amount (Rs.) 1 KERALA 04 3,48,971.0000 2 MAHARASHTRA 03 81,075.00 3 TAMIL NADU 01 5,75,313.00 4 ANDHRA PRADESH 01 2,00,000.00, 5 WEST BENGAL 02 4,28,055.00 TOTAL 09 16,33,414.00 RRRLF provide financial assistance to NGO s who are engaged in providing Public Library services. Grant is also provided to professional library organization for conducting seminars and conferences. Statement of Assistance given for Organizing of Conferences or Seminars by Professional Bodies, Local Bodies & NGO s who are involved in Public Library Development or are supporting Library Movement and Department of University Library Science during the year 2012-13. Sr. No. Name and Address of the Organization / Library Andhra Pradesh Amount (Rs.) 5
1 Prof Kaula Endowment for Library and Information Science 4-54-49, Ithanagaram, Tenali-522201, Andhra Pradesh (Organization of a Seminar) Karnataka 2 Indian Statistical Institute, Bangalore, Karnataka (Organization and International Conference of Trends in Knowledge and Information Dynamics) Delhi 3 DELNET, JNU Campus, Nelson Mandela Road, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi -110070 (Organization 15 th National Convention on Knowledge, Library and Information Networking (NACLIN 2012)) Punjab 4 Punjab Library Association C/o Dept of Library and Information Science, Arts Block No. 1, 1 st floor, P. O. Punjabi University, Patiyala, Punjab 147002 ( Organization of National Seminar on Public Libraries as Community Information Centers and Local Gateways to World s Knowledge and Information) Pondicherry 5 Organizing Secretary, ICEP 2012, Pondicherry University R. V. Nagar, Kalapet, Punucherry-605014 (Organization of an International Conference on Electronic Publications 2012) West Bengal 6 Indian Association of Special Libraries & Information Centers (IASLIC) P-291, C.I.T.Scheme, No. VI-M, Kankurgachi, Kolkata- 700054 (Organization of a Seminar) 75000.00 2,00,000.00 1,00,000.00 1,00,000.00 1,00,000.00 60,000.00 Grant for establishing and maintaining Children s corner and physically handicap corner is needed for public libraries as these are special category readers, who require 6
some special facilities for taking advantage of the library collection. RRRLF provide grant for the above mentioned categories of readers. Promotion of District Youth Resource Centers: These are developed in coordination with the decision of interim Steering Committee of Ministers created for the youth development as their agenda, which includes the people from Sports and Youth Affairs Ministry, Cultural Ministry with Nehru Yuvak Kendra Sanghatna and Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation The Assistance is provided for the following purposes: For print and non print material collection development. For acquiring library furniture and storage fixture for storing books and other material. For constructing library building. For computers with accessories acquisition. PR Activities: For better development of library and information services the foundation has been proactive to take up a number of promotional activities. Theses are inter related and associated with various international and national level library related professional bodies such as ILA, IFLA, IASLIC and a number of state level library association. Some of activities for promotion are as follows: The foundation conducts conferences and seminars on different matters relevant to the public libraries development in the country. The foundation always plays a vital role in the drafting of NAPLIS-National Policy on Library and Information System and also issue set of instructions on public library systems and services. Raja Rammohan Roy Library Foundation Fellowship is instituted for profound men and women in the period of library and information services who have offered significant contribution to the Library and Information movement in the country through proactive participation, intellectual readership or who are sincerely working towards the upliftment of the reading habit spirit among the people. The fellowship is rewarded in cash and a plaque with citation detailing their services rendered by the fellow in the country. 7
The foundation has instituted. RRRLF Best Library Award the award includes a citations and a cash perk of 1 lakh Rupees for the best state central library in India. For the best district library the foundation has instituted RRRLF Best District Library award, which includes citation and cash incentive of Rs 50000/- For each state of the country the foundation has instituted RRRLF Best Rural Library award. Raja Mohan Roy Award was catalyzed yearly for the best-contributed article incorporating the area of development of Public Library and Information Systems and Services or suggesting techniques for the propagation of reading habits. PUBLICATIONS: The foundation has been bringing out many useful materials for the benefit and growth of public library services in the country. Some of its signature publications are: Raja Rammohun Roy and the New Learning edited by B.P. Barua Directory of Indian Public Libraries edited by B P Barua Granthana-Indian Journal of Library Studies Indian Libraries; Trends and Perspectives edited by K.M. George RRRLF Newsletter comes out bimonthly Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation, Annual Report Books for the Millions at their Doorsteps : Information Manual. Modernization Programme: For the promotion of library services the RRRLF foundation is exploring new technologies of information. It has built up a data bank of the public libraries of the country. The foundation is taking efforts to computerize all the state libraries of India. The computers are provided to the state and district libraries to create computerize data of their collection and to make it available to other libraries in the respective state and district. Achievement: State Library Committee 8
RRRLF (RRRLF; 1997; 10-11) gives relevant as well as non-matching help to support and boost public library and information services in the States and Union Territories as per the rules and regulations. Every State and Union Territory Administration are requested to create State Library Committee (SLC) containing the following members and who will meet at least twice a year: The Chairman will act as Secretary or Director or person selected by the Department to guide library and information services If the Chairman is not their than The Secretary will act as Director or Officer-in- Charge of the Department, Director of the Foundation or his representative should be their The Chairman of the Foundation nominated; President or Secretary of the Library Association of the State. An Education Department representative, if library service comes under a separate department; An educationist or an author or an official from the state level group who are connected with the production to be nominated by the State Government; and State Central Library Librarian or the State Government specified public library shall be the Convener of the State Library Committee. Where this is not feasible, the State Government will specify to be suitable official looking after library service as the Convener. The State Library Committee functions shall be: to draft yearly plan for library and information services in the State with special reference to the support programs given by the Foundation; so as to give proper grant of State Government/Union Territory Administration support and availing of the relevant grant from RRRLF; to identify books as per the need of the society and in confidence with the prescribed instructions by RRRLF; to scrutinize and suggest proposals for other plans of support to RRLF; to make sure proper use of support by RRRLF; and to carry out any other activity related to the growth of library and information centers in the State or Union Territory. Foundation s support is available for all kinds of public libraries, viz., State Central Library, District Central Libraries, Regional/Divisional Libraries, Branch Libraries, Sub divisional Libraries, Town Libraries, Taluka Libraries, Tehsil Libraries, Block 9
Libraries, Municipal Libraries, Panchayat Libraries, Rural Libraries, etc. directly managed or supported or recognized by the State Government. State Library Committee will decide the amount and sections of Library and Information Centres for support under different plans and the total combined list of books for different types of libraries. However, Textbooks, expensive books, and foreign Publications be selected carefully with scrutiny and analysis. Support is also given to both Non- Government and government libraries for building a new building or expansion of the already existing structure. District Level Library is given a maximum sum of Rs. 10 lakhs and Rs. 8 lakhs for Sub. Division/Town Level Library once in ten years. For other libraries Rs. 4 lakh can be given for construction of library structure. During last 41 years, RRRLF has provided assistance to more than 32000 libraries at different level in the country. State Central Libraries 28 Divisional & District Libraries 451 Sub- District Level Libraries 31155 NYK 594 Jawahar Bal Bhawans 49 Others 128 ------------- Total 32405 ======== 10