Delhi Library Association was founded on 10th March 1939
and registered under the societies act xxi of 1860, its registration number
is 161/1940-41. After adopting a constitution and providing rules
and regulations for conducting its affairs, it got registered
in May 1940. As a result of partition of the country in 1947 and
other political developments, the Association went into hibernation.
It got revived again in 1953. It has the following six fold objectives:
- To promote library movement in Delhi
- To provide training facilities in library science
- To strengthen co-operation among libraries in Delhi and work
for the improvement of library service
- To improve the status and the working conditions of persons
employed in the libraries
- To take up publication work in library science
- To co-operate with other organizations having similar objectives
During its existence for a period of over 62 years, DLA India
has been striving to achieve the above mentioned objectives by embarking
upon several programmes and undertaking projects. The present membership
of the association is around 630, yet more than 6000 persons have
been on the rolls of the Association at one time or the other in
the past. The Association has 249 life members. The finances of
DLA have risen from a modest figure of 1,000/- in 1953
to about Rs. 20, 52,310/- in 2001. This measure of financial stability
is largely due to the training programmes and other projects being
conducted by the Association. For a number of years, DLA
had been conducting its affairs from the premises of the Hardayal
Municipal Public Library, Gandhi Ground, Delhi-110006. During 1980s
it constructed its own building on a plot of land measuring 0.44
acres in Naraina Vihar area in South-West of Delhi. The new building
has been named after Dr. S.R. Ranganathan. The association moved
to its new home in 1989.
The affairs of DLA India are conducted by an Executive
Committee consisting of 20 members elected by the General Body.
The Executive Committee of the association has a number of sub-committees such as
Finance Committee, Administrative Committee, Building Committee,
IT Committee etc. to advise on various matters for the efficient conduct
of the activities of DLA. The progress achieved by
the association is largely due to the continuous and uninterrupted
participation of many dedicated persons as its office bearers.
DLA India is proud of the tremendous success it has achieved
by conducting training course at the certificate level. Delhi Library Association
courses are being conducted since 1955. Nearly 6000 students have
already undergone DLA courses. The DLA Certificate in Library Science is very
popular and is attracting a large number of applicants for admission
to Delhi Library Association courses every year. In view of the heavy rush, we are obliged
to select every year about 170 candidates from around 1,000 applications.
DLA courses are conducted in two shifts. The duration
of most Delhi library Association courses, is one academic year. The course contents are constantly
being reviewed to introduce changes for meeting the needs of the
time. The training during DLA courses is imparted with the highest standards. Senior
librarians and teachers with long record of teaching experience
are associated with the training programme. All of them work in
an honorary capacity. Since long, the course has been recognized
by the Government of India for the purpose of employment. DLA India is proud of its trainees who not only have good job
opportunities but also acquit themselves creditably in the places
of their work.
Delhi Library Association has made significant progress in its publication
activity. It has brought out many ad-hoc DLA publications from time
to time. It is publishing a quarterly Library
Herald journal regularly since 1958. The library Herald journal contains original contributions,
reviews, notes and news etc. in the field of Library Science,
Documentation and Information Science. Library Herald journal is supplied
free to all the members of DLA. In addition about
300 copies of Library Herald journal are being subscribed to by different
institutions all over the world.
Delhi library Association has been very active in organizing seminars, conferences, special lectures etc. from time to time.
These provide
a forum to the members for discussing problems of professional
interest. Particular mention may be made of the Prof. S. Dasgupta
Lecture series being organized once in two years. A similar
SR Ranganathan lecture series, in honor of late Dr. SR Ranganathan has also
been instituted. Towards promotion of reading habit among school
children, DLA has a programme of conducting essay
competition for students of VII and IX classes. The essay competition
finds participation by a number of prominent schools in Delhi.