#THE DELIVERY OF BOOKS AND NEWSPAPERS (PUBLIC LIBRARIES) ACT, 1954 
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##ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 
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SECTIONS 

1. Short title and extent. 
2. Definitions. 
3. Delivery of books of public libraries. 
3A. Delivery of newspapers to public libraries. 
4. Receipt for books delivered. 
5. Penalty. 
6. Cognizance of offences. 
7. Application of Act to books and newspapers published by Government. 
8. Power to make rules. 



#THE DELIVERY OF BOOKS AND NEWSPAPERS (PUBLIC LIBRARIES) ACT, 1954 

##ACT NO. 27 OF 1954 

[20th May, 1954.] 

An Act to provide for delivery of books to the National Library and other public libraries. 

  BE it enacted by Parliament in the Fifth Year of the Republic of India as follows:— 

1. **Short title and extent.**—(1) This Act may be called the Delivery of Books and Newspapers 
(Public Libraries) Act, 1954. 

(2) It extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir[^1]. 

2. **Definitions.**—In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:— 

  (a) “book” includes every volume, part or division of a volume  and pamphlet, in any language, 
and every sheet of music, map, chart or plan separately printed or lithographed, but does not include a 
newspaper published in conformity with the provisions of section 5 of the Press and Registration of 
Books Act, 1867(XXV of 1867): 

  (aa)  ‘newspaper’  means  any  printed  periodical  work  containing  public  news  or  comments  on 
public news published in conformity with the provisions of section 5 of the Press and Registration of 
Books Act, 1867 (25 of 1867).

  (b) “public libraries” means the National Library at Calcutta and any three other libraries which 
may be specified by the Central Government in this behalf by notification in the Official Gazette. 

3. **Delivery of books of public libraries.**—(1) Subject to any rules that may be made under this Act, 
but without prejudice to the provisions contained in Section 9 of the Press and Registration of Books Act, 
1867 (XXV of 1867), the publisher of every book published is the territories to which this Act extends 
after the commencement of this act, shall, notwithstanding any agreement to the contrary, deliver at his 
own expense a copy of the book to the National Library at Calcutta and one such copy to each of the other 
three public libraries within thirty days from the date of its publication. 

(2) The copy delivered to the National Library shall be a copy of the whole book with all maps and 
illustrations belonging thereto, finished and coloured in the same manner as the best copies of the same, 
and shall be bound, sewed or stitched together and on the best paper on which any copy of the book is 
printed. 

(3) The copy delivered to any other public library shall be on the paper on which the largest number 
of copies of the books is printed for sale, and shall be in the like condition as the book prepared for sale. 

(4) Nothing contained in sub-section (1) shall apply to any second or subsequent edition of a book in 
which  edition  no  additions  or  alterations  either in  the  letter-press  or  in  the  maps,  book  prints  or  other 
engravings belongings to the book have been made, and a copy of the first or some preceding edition of 
which book has been delivered under this Act. 

3A. **Delivery of newspapers to public libraries.** —Subject to any rules that may be made under 
this  Act,  but  without  prejudice to  the  provisions  contained in the  Press  and  Registration  of  Books  Act, 
1867  (25  of  1867.),  the  publisher  of  every  newspaper,  published  in  the  territories  to  which  this  Act 
extends,  shall  deliver  at  his  own  expense  one  copy  of  each  issue  of  such  newspaper  as  soon  as  it  is 
published to each such public library as may be notified in this behalf by the Central Government in the 
Official Gazette.

4. **Receipt for books delivered.**—The person in charge of a public library (whether called a librarian 
or by any other name) or any other person authorised by him in this behalf to whom a copy of a book is 
delivered under Section 3 shall give to the publisher a receipt in writing therefor. 

[^1]. Vide notification No. S.O. 3912(E), dated 30th October, 2019, this Act is made applicable to the Union territory of Jammu 
and Kashmir and the Union territory of Ladakh. 



5. **Penalty.**—Any  publisher  who  contravenes  any  provision  of  this  Act  or  of  any  rule  made 
thereunder shall be punishable with fine which may extend to fifty rupees and, if the contravention is in 
respect of a book, shall also be punishable with fine which shall be equivalent to the value of the book, 
and the court trying the offence may direct that the whole or any part of the fine realised from him shall 
be paid, by way of compensation, to the public library to which the book or newspaper, as the case may 
be ought to have been delivered. 

6. **Cognizance of offences.**—(1) No court shall take cognizance of any offence punishable under this 
Act  save  on  complaint  made  by  an  officer  empowered  in  this  behalf  by  the  Central  Government  by  a 
General or special order. 

(2) No court inferior to that of a presidency magistrate or a magistrate of the first class shall try any 
offence punishable under this Act. 

7. **Application of Act to books and newspapers published by Government.**—This Act shall also 
apply to books and newspapers published by or under the authority of the Government but shall not apply 
to books meant for official use only.

8. **Power to make rules.**—(1) The  Central  Government  may,  by  notification  in  the  Official 
Gazette, makes rules to carry out the purposes of this Act. 

(2) Every rule made by the Central Government under this Act shall be laid, as soon as may be after 
it is made, before each House of Parliament, while it is in session, for a total period of thirty days which 
may be comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the 
session  immediately  following  the  session  or  the  successive  sessions  aforesaid,  both  Houses  agree  in 
making any modification in the rule or both Houses agree that the rule should not be made, the rule shall 
thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that 
any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done 
under that rule.