National Library Services Act
EDITORS' NOTE: The digital versions of legislation accessible through SeyLII are UNOFFICIAL and provided solely in the interests of increasing access to legal information. Their currency and accuracy cannot be warranted. Official versions of Seychelles legislation can only be obtained in hard copy from the Attorney-General’s Chambers, Department of Legal Affairs
CONSOLIDATED TO 30 JUNE 2012
|
LAWS OF SEYCHELLES
NATIONAL LIBRARY SERVICES ACT
[14th June 2010]
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
1. Short title
2. Interpretation
3. Establishment of the Seychelles National Library
4. Control and management
5. Appointment of head of Library etc.
6. Advisory Board
7. Functions of the Library
8. Duty of publishers etc
9. Donations
10. Offences
11. Regulation
__________________
1. This Act may be cited as the National Library Services Act.
2. In this Act —
“Board” means the Advisory Board established under section 6;
“Minister” means the Minister responsible for library matters;
“the Library” means the Seychelles National Library established under section 3(1);
“library” means any other branch of the Seychelles National Library.
3. (1) There is established the Seychelles National Library which shall —
(a) provide both public and national library services;
(b) consist of a comprehensive collection of books, manuscripts, periodicals, films and other recorded matters, printed or otherwise, covering all fields of knowledge and an exhaustive collection of the national literary output.
(2) The Library shall be a national centre for reference, study and information services.
4. The Library shall be under the control and management of the Ministry responsible for library matters.
5. There shall be appointed a head of the Library and such other officers as may be necessary for the performance of duties connected with the functions of the Library.
6. (1) The Minister may appoint an Advisory Board with the responsibility for advising the Minister on such matters as the Minister may from time to time refer to the Board.
(2) The members of the Advisory Board shall be appointed for such term and on such conditions as the Minister may determine.
(3) The head of the Library shall be an ex officio member of the Advisory Board.
7. (1) The Library shall be responsible for the following national library services, namely —
(a) to act as the official repository of all materials published —
(i) in Seychelles;
(ii) on any aspect of Seychelles;
(iii) by any Seychellois;
(b) to coordinate bibliographical and other services including the publication of —
(i) retrospective and current national bibliographies;
(ii) selective and subject bibliographies;
(iii) reprints of works that are damaged or in danger of being permanently lost;
(c) to plan and coordinate inter-library lending;
(d) to participate in the planning and development of libraries;
(e) to provide leadership to the country’s libraries;
(f) to promote cooperation between the Library and other institutions, both national and international;
(g) to act as a centre for the exchange of publications; and
(h) to provide a focal point for linkage to international databases.
(2) The Library shall be responsible for the following public library services, namely —
(a) to provide the services of a lending library and a reference library;
(b) to establish and maintain branch libraries and regional reading centres;
(c) to provide persons with bibliographical research and other information;
(d) to provide book box and mobile library services;
(e) to provide reprographical facilities and information technological services;
(f) to compile the union catalogue;
(g) to develop a good reading habit and encourage lifelong education;
(h) to increase and develop resources of the Library and other libraries.
8. (1) For the purpose of section 7(1) (a) —
(a) a publisher of a newspaper, periodical, book or bound pamphlet, map or post card printed in Seychelles;
(b) a producer of a film, microfilm, online publication or offline electronic publication intended for sale; and
(c) a publisher or producer of a revised edition or remake of anything referred to in paragraph (a) or (b),
shall, not later than thirty days after it is published or produced, deliver or cause to be delivered three copies thereof to the head of the Library free of charge.
(2) Any person who fails to comply with the provisions of subsection (1) commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of not less than R5000 and not more than R6000.
(3) Any person or institution may give a copy of any thesis, dissertation or research paper, whether printed or not, in their possession to the Library for conservation.
9. Donations of movable and immovable property may be made to, and accepted by, the Minister for the use of the Library or any other libraries in discharging their functions under this Act.
10. (1) Any person who, in the Library or any other library open to the members of the public —
(a) behaves in a disorderly manner;
(b) uses violent, abusive or obscene language;
(c) consumes or deals in alcohol or an illicit drug;
(d) bets or gambles; or
(e) after proper warning persists in remaining therein beyond the hour fixed for the closing of the Library or other library,
to the annoyance or disturbance of any other person using the same, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of not less than R5000 and not more than R6000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to both such fine and imprisonment.
(2) A person —
(a) who knows that he is suffering from a notifiable disease shall —
(i) not take or cause any book to be taken from the Library or any library for his use;
(ii) use any book taken from the Library or any library;
(b) shall not permit any book which has been taken from the Library or any library and is under his control to be used by any other person known to be suffering from a notifiable disease;
(c) shall not return to the Library or any library a book which he knows to have been exposed to infection from a notifiable disease or permit any such book under his control to be so returned but shall give notice to the Library or such library that the book has been so exposed to infection.
(3) Any person who contravenes any of the provisions of subsection (2) commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding R5000 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or to both such fine and imprisonment.
(4) For the purpose of subsection (2) “notifiable disease” means any disease defined as such in the Public Health Act.
(5) Any person who —
(a) removes any publication from the Library or any library without authorisation; or
(b) does not return any publication borrowed,
commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of not less than R5000 and not more than R6000.
11. (1) The Minister may make regulations for carrying out or giving effect to the objects and provisions of this Act.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), such regulations may provide for —
(a) the terms and conditions on which the facilities of the Library and other libraries are made available to the public;
(b) the conduct of persons within the premises of the Library and other libraries;
(c) proper maintenance and protection of the property of the Library and other libraries; and
(d) charging of fees in respect of the various services provided by the Library and other libraries.
-----------------------------------------------
NO SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION
-----------------------------------------------
