Discusses S R Ranganathan’s Model Act for Public Library legislation in States of a federal country, which is to form the second level component of Union Legislation. Draft Bill prepared for Kerala is also covered as a sample. Opines that his was an unique vision of Public Library Network, connecting Public Libraries, Academic Libraries and Special Libraries including Parliament and Legislature libraries to canalize the total information resources of the nation to one and all through an integrated system. The major portion of our information resources held by large institutions like National Library, Connemara Public, National Science Library etc still function as independent institutions serving only the limited population even half a century after Ranaganathan presented this Model Legislation. The Model Act for States he has prepared is very scientific and is still relevant and can be adopted incorporating the slight changes necessitated by technological developments.
S R Ranganathan, Library Legislation, India, Public Library
