LIBRARY LAW

CHAPTER　1

(Purpose of this Law)
Article 1. The purpose of this Law is to provide for the necessary matters concerning the establishment and operation of libraries, and to promote a sound development thereof, and thereby to contribute to the enhancement of the educati on and culture of the nation, in accordance with the spirit of the Social Educat ion Law (Law No. 207 of 1949).

(Definition)
　 Article 2. "Libraries" as used in this Law shall mean the facilities (exclud ing those attached to schools) established by local public bodies, the Japan Re d Cross, or juridical persons under Article 34 of the Civil Code (Law No. 89 of 1896), the purposes of which are to collect, arrange and preserve books, archive s and other necessary data and materials for the intent of making them serviceab le, by offering them for the utilization of the general public for its self educ ation, research, study, recreation, and other purposes.

2. Of the libraries covered under the preceding paragraph, those established by local public bodies shall be known as "public libraries" and those establish ed by the Japan Red Cross or by other juridical persons under Article 34 of the Civil Code shall be known as "private libraries".

(Library Service)
　 Article 3. In order to provide service, libraries shall endeavor to accomplish the following, taking into account local situations, the needs of the follow ing, and concerns for aid to school education:
(1) Books, archives, audio-visual materials and other necessary data and materials (hereinafter referred to as "library materials") shall be collected, and p rovided for the use of the general public, with suitable attention paid to th e acquisition of local materials, art works, materials on local administratio n, gramophone records and films;
(2) Library materials shall be properly classified and processed, and the catalog thereof shall be well prepared;
(3) Efforts shall be made to ensure that library personnel acquire sufficient kn owledge of library matters so as to give counsel to users on their utilization;
(4) Close communication and cooperation shall be maintained by such means as inter-library loans between libraries, the National Diet Library, libraries attached to the assemblies of local public bodies, and libraries attached to schools;
(5) Branch libraries, reading centers, and book circulating centers, etc. may be established, and the service of bookmobiles and rotating lending libraries m ay be offered;
(6) Reading circles, seminars, appreciation groups, film showings and exhibits o f data and materials, etc. shall be sponsored and encouraged;
(7) Information and reference materials concerning current affairs shall be acquired and offered to the general public;
(8) Close contact and cooperation shall be maintained with schools, museums, community centers and research institutes, etc.

(Librarians and Assistant Librarians)
Article 4. Professional personnel of libraries shall be called librarians and assistant librarians.
2. Librarians shall be engaged in the specialized operations of the libraries.
　 3. Assistant Librarians shall assist librarians in their duties.

(Qualifications for Librarians)
　 Article 5. Those who are covered by any one of the following shall be qualif ied as librarians:
(1) Graduates of universities or of higher specialists schools who have completed the training course for librarians under the provisions of Article 6.
(2) Graduates of universisties who have completed a prescribed course of study of library science.
(3) Those who have three years or more of experience as assistant librarians (including personnel of the National Diet Library or libraries attached to universities, who are of a rank corresponding to assistant librarians) and who ha ve completed the training course for librarians under the provisions of Article 6.
　 2. Those who are covered by any one of the following shall be qualified as assistant librarians:
(1) Those with the qualifications for librarian;
(2) Graduates of upper secondary schools who have completed the training course for assistant librarians under the provisions of Article 6.

(Courses of Training for Librarians and Assistant Librarians)
　 Article 6. Training courses for librarians and assistant librarians shall be conducted by universities that have been designated by the Ministry of Education.
　 2. The contents of the course of study, credits, and other necessary matters concerning the successful completion of training courses for librarians and assistant librarians shall be provided by Ministry of Education ordinances; the nu mber of credits to be acquired shall not be less than 15.

(Guidance and Advice)
　 Article 7. Deleted.

(Request for Cooperation)
　 Article 8. 　Prefectural boards of education may, for the purpose of promoti ng library serevice within their areas, invite the boards of education of the cities, towns, and villages (including special wards, etc.) to cooperate in the preparation of union catalogs, facilitating the service of rotating lending libraries, and the mutual loaning of library materials.

(Collection of Goveernment Publications)
　 Article 9. The Government shall furnish public libraries established by prefectures two copies of the Official Gazette and other documents which are made av ailable for public information published by the printing agency.
2. Agencies of the state and of local public bodies may furnish public libraries free of charge, upon request, publications and other data and materials which they publish.

(Establishment)
　Article 10. 　Matters concerning the establishment of a public library shall be provided for in the regulations of the law of the local public body which establishes the library concerned.

(Reporting)
　Article 11. Deleted.

　Article 12. 　Deleted.

(Personnel)
　Article 13. 　Each public library shall have a chief librarian, and such other professional, secretarial, and technical personnel as may be deemed necessary b y the board of education of the local public body which establishes the library concerned.
　 2. The chief librarian shall take charge of the affairs of the library and endeavor to supervise its personnel to accomplish the functions of library service.
3. The chief librarians of libraries that are established by local public bodies which receive promotional subsidies from the State in accordance with the provisions of Article 20 herein shall be individuals who possess the qualifications of librarian; provided, that those who shall be in charge of such libraries must have had experience as chief librarian, or have served as librarian (including personnel of the National Diet Library or libraries attached to universitiesor higher specialists schools, or of those corresponding to the same) for three years or more in libraries established by prefectures as well as those establishedby the cities under Article 252 paragraph 19 item (1) of the Local Autonomy Law (Law No. 67 of 1947) (hereinafter referred to as "selected cities"), and for oneyear or more in case of libraries established by cities other than the selected cities.

(Library Council)
　Article 14. Any public library may have a library council.
2. The library council shall respond to the inquiries of the chief librarian of the library with regard to the operation of the library, and, at the same time, may express its opinion to the chief librarian on the library service offered by the library concerned.

Article 15. The members of a library council shall be appointed by the board of education of the local public body, from among the following:
(1) Representatives of schools which lie within the area of jurisdiction of the local public body that establishes the library concerned;
(2) Representatives of organizations connected with social education (i.e. those　 organizations connected with social education provided for by Article 10 of t he Social Education Law), the offices of which are located within the area of jurisdiction of the local public body that establishes the library concerned, and who are recommended by such organizations through election or other mean s;
(3) Social education committee members;
(4) Members of community center committees;
(5) Persons of learning and experience.

　Article 16. The establishment of a library council, its fixed number and th e term of office of its members, and other necessary matters shall be provided for by legislation of the local public body that establishes the library concerned.
2. The provisions of Article 15 paragraphs 3 and 4 of the Social Education Law shall apply correspondingly, as amended, to the library council.

(Admission Fee, etc.)
　Article 17. Public libraries shall not charge any admission fee or receive a ny compensation in connection with the use of library materials.

(Standards for Public Libraries Receiving State Subsidies)
　Article 18. The Minister of Education shall, in order to promote the sound d evelopment of libraries, formulate desirable standards for the establishment and operation of public libraries and shall make them available for the guidance of boards of education and for the benefit of the general public.

(Standards for Public Libraries Receiving State Subsidies)
　Article 19. The minimum standards required for receiving promotional subsidies from the State under the provisions of Article 20 shall be established by Ministry of Education ordinance.

(Aids and Other Types of Assistance to Public Libraries)
　Article 20. The State shall, within the limits of budgetary appropriations, grant promotional subsidies to meet expenses required in the establishment and operation of libraries, and a portion of other necessary expenses, to local public bodies that establish such libraries.
2. Necessary matters pertaining to the distribution of such promotional subsidiaries as are provided for in the previous paragraph shall be regulated by law.

Article 21. When subsidies under the provisions of the preceding Article are to be granted, the Minister of Education shall examine to determine if librariesestablished by local public bodies have achieved the minimum standards as provided for by Article 19, and shall grant subsidies only to libraries which reach the standards.

Article 22. Deleted.

Article 23. Where the State has granted subsidies under the provisions of A rticle 20, it shall discontinue the further grant of subsidies for the fiscal year concerned and also cause the subsidies already granted for the fiscal year to be returned when a local public body is covered under any one of the following:
(1) If the library has violated the provisions of this Law;
(2) If the local public body has acted contrary to the conditions of the grant of the subsidy;
(3) If the local public body has received the subsidy through false means.

(Private Libraries' Relations with Prefectural Boards of Education)
　Article 25. Prefectural boards of education may request of provate libraries reports necessary for the preparation of guidance materials and for surveys and research.
2. Prefectural boards of education may, upon request, provide assistance and special technical guidance to privatae libraries in matters partaining to their establishment and management.

(Their Relations with the State and Local Public Bodies)
　Article 26. The State and local public bodies shall not interfere with the work of any private library or give any subsidy toany juridical person that establishes a library.

Article 27. The State and local public bodies may give assistance to private libraries in procuring necessary materials, upon the latter's request.

(Library Admission Fee, etc.)
　Article 28. A private library may charge an admission7 fee and receive othee r kinds of compensation for use of library materials.

(Facilities Similar to Libraries)
　Article 29. Facilities and institutions similar to libraries may be establis hed by any sponsor.
2. The provisions of Article 25 paragraph 2 above shall apply in all respects to the facilities and institutions covered under the preceding paragraph.

Supplementary Provisions: 　 1. This Law shall come into force as form the day three months following the day of its promulgation; however, the provisions of Article 17 shall come into force as from April 1, 1951.
　 [2.〜 13. omitted.]