(1) The Council shall consist of:—
(a) the Minister-in-charge of Library Services who shall be the Chairman of the Council;
(b) four persons to be elected by the members of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly from amongst themselves;
(c) four persons to be nominated by the Government representing the interests of Universities, the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education and the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education from amongst their members;
338 The West Bengal Public Libraries Act, 1979.
XXXIX of 1979.]
(Chapter II.—The State Library Council.—Section 5.)
(d) two representatives of the Bengal Library Association to be nominated by the Executive Committee of the said Association from amongst its constituted members;
(e) one representative of the employees of the libraries that will come under the purview of this Act to be elected in the member prescribed;
(f) two persons elected by the Local Library Authorities from amongst the members of such authorities in the manner prescribed;
(g) one District Library Officer to be nominated by the Government;
(h) one District Librarian to be nominated by the Government;
(i) the Secretary to the Government in the Education Department or his nominee;
(j) the Director of Public Instruction, West Bengal or his nominee;
(k) four persons to be nominated by the Government who in its opinion are experts in library science and library service;
(1) the Deputy Director of Public Instruction (Social Education), West Bengal;
(m) the Director of Information and Cultural Affairs or his nominee;
(n) the Librarian, Central Library;
(0) the Librarian of the National Library, Calcutta;
(p) the Director who shall be the ex-officio Member-Secretary of the Council.
(2) The members, other than the ex-officio members, shall hold office for a period of three years:
Provided that if a nominated or an elected member ceases to hold the position by virtue of which he was so nominated or elected, he shall automatically cease to be a member of the Council.
5. The Central Library shall, in addition to running a library and a reading room, perform such other functions as may be entrusted to it from time to time by the Government or any other officer authorised by the Government in that behalf.
Functions of the Central Library.
339 The West Bengal Public Libraries Act, 1979.
[West Ben. Act (Chapter 11.—The State Library Council.—Sections 6, 7.)
Appointinent and functions of Director.
Directorate of Libraries.
6. The Government shall appoint a Director of Libraries in accordance with the rules made under this Act and the Director shall, subject to the control of the Government, discharge the following functions:—
(a) maintain a register of recognised libraries;
(b) manage the Central Library together with the branches of such library and shall superintend and direct all matters relating to the Central Library;
(c) declare, in accordance with the rules made under this Act, by notification, the names and addresses of the recognised libraries in the State;
(d) superintend and direct all matters relating to the work of all local library authorities under this Act;
(e) submit to the Government in accordance with rules made under this Act a report on the working of all libraries under this Act;
(f) inspect or cause to be inspected periodically through officers authorised in this behalf all the public and recognised libraries;
(g) take steps for removal of defects in the working of any such library as the reports on inspection of the libraries by the officers authorised under clause (f) may disclose and take measures for enforcing the rules as may be made in this behalf and in appropriate cases obtain approval of the Government for derecognition of the library or discontinuance of financial and other assistance to such library in the event of persistent failure to abide by the rules made under this Act or otherwise which in his opinion warrants such action;
(h) guide, control and supervise the functioning of the libraries;
(i) take appropriate steps for prosecution of persons responsible for any loss or injury caused to any library; and
(j) perform such other duties and exercise such other powers in accordance with this Act or the rules made thereunder.