Overview of Information Sources

 

National-Level Library Associations

1. Indian Library Association (ILA)

• Established: 1933

• Headquarters: New Delhi

• Key Activities:

  • Organizes the All India Library Conference.

  • Publishes the Journal of the Indian Library Association (JILA).

  • Advocates for library legislation and standards.

2. Indian Association of Special Libraries and Information Centres (IASLIC)

• Established: 1955

• Headquarters: Kolkata

• Key Activities:

  • Focuses on special, academic, and research libraries.

  • Publishes IASLIC Bulletin and Annals of Library and Information Studies (ALIS).

3. Society for Information Science (SIS)

• Established: 1969

• Headquarters: Bangalore

• Key Activities:

  • Promotes IT applications in libraries.

  • Collaborates with international bodies like ASIS&T.

4. Indian Academic Library Association (IALA)

• Established: 2016

• Headquarters: New Delhi

• Key Activities:

  • Supports academic and university librarians.

  • Conducts training programs and research workshops.

5. Developing Library Network (DELNET)

• Established: 1988

• Headquarters: New Delhi

• Key Activities:

• Promotes resource sharing among libraries.

• Provides access to a vast digital repository.

6. Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation (RRRLF) (Though not an association, it's worth mentioning)

• Established: 1972 (Under Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India)

• Headquarters: Kolkata

• Special Features:

  • Supports public library development across India

  • Provides grants and funding to library institutions

  • Promotes library automation and modernization

  • Conducts nationwide literacy campaigns

State-Level Library Associations of India (Chronological Order)

S.No	Association Name	State/Region	Year Established	Notes
1	Andhra Desa Library Association	Andhra	1914	Earliest recorded state association
2	Baroda State Library Association	Gujarat	1920	Princely State initiative
3	Maharashtra Library Association	Maharashtra	1921	Pre-independence body
4	Gujarati Pustakalaya Mandal	Gujarat	1923	Focus on Gujarati literature
5	Bengal Library Association	West Bengal	1925	India's most influential early association
6	Madras Library Association (MALA)	Tamil Nadu	1927	Later became TNLA
7	Punjab Library Association	Punjab	1929	Served undivided Punjab
8	Karnataka Library Association	Karnataka	1929	First incarnation
9	Samastha Kerala Pustakalaya Samiti	Kerala	1931	Focus on Malayalam libraries
10	United Provinces Library Association	Uttar Pradesh	1935	Predecessor to UPLA
11	Bombay State Library Association	Maharashtra	1935	Merged with later bodies
12	Malabar Library Association	Kerala	1937	Served North Kerala
13	Assam Library Association	Assam	1938	Northeast pioneer
14	Delhi Library Association	Delhi	1939 (revived 1953)	National capital body
15	Utkal Library Association	Odisha	1944	Promoted Odia collections
16	Travancore Library Association	Kerala	1945	Princely state initiative
17	CP & Berar Library Association	Madhya Pradesh	1945	Central India focus
18	Hyderabad Library Association	Telangana	1951	Deccan region
19	Bihar Library Association	Bihar	1955	Eastern India
20	Uttar Pradesh Library Association	UP	1956	Most populous state
21	Madhya Pradesh Library Association	MP	1957	Post-reorganization
22	Karnataka Library Association	Karnataka	1961	Reorganized version
23	Maharashtra Rajya Granthalaya Sangh	Maharashtra	1962	Current apex body
24	Gomantak Library Association	Goa	1963	Post-liberation
25	Gujarat Granthalaya Sangh	Gujarat	1964	Current apex body
26	J&K Library Association	Jammu & Kashmir	1966	Himalayan region
27	Haryana Library Association	Haryana	1967	Post-statehood
28	Kerala Library Association	Kerala	1972	Current apex body

 

Specialized & Sector-Specific Library Associations

1. Association of Medical Librarians of India (AMLI)

• Established: 1994

• Headquarters: New Delhi

• Special Features:

  • Promotes health sciences librarianship and information services

  • Organizes national conferences and training for medical librarians

  • Encourages research and development in biomedical information science

  • Publishes proceedings and newsletters

  • Collaborates with medical councils, libraries, and academic bodies

2. Indian Association of Teachers in Library and Information Science (IATLIS)

• Established: 1969

• Headquarters: Department of Library and Information Science, Panjab University, Chandigarh

• Special Features:

  • Dedicated to LIS education and the professional development of LIS teachers

  • Publishes the IATLIS Journal of Library Education and Research

  • Hosts national seminars and teacher development workshops

  • Acts as a platform for curriculum reform, research exchange, and policy advocacy

3. Indian Law Libraries Association (ILLA)

• Established: 2013

• Headquarters: New Delhi

• Special Features:

  • Promotes legal librarianship and law library services in India

  • Encourages modernization and digitization of law libraries

  • Provides training in legal information management, referencing, and digital tools

  • Connects law librarians, legal researchers, and academic institutions

4. International Association of Agricultural Information Specialists – India Chapter (IAALD-India)

• Established: 1998 (India Chapter)

• Headquarters: Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi

• Special Features:

  • Focuses on agricultural information management and ICT applications

  • Promotes global collaboration among agricultural libraries

  • Organizes seminars, training programs, and publishes proceedings

  • Encourages open access, digital repositories, and agri-informatics development

5. Defence Science Library Association (DSLA)

• Established: 1996

• Headquarters: Defence Scientific Information & Documentation Centre (DESIDOC), DRDO, Delhi

• Special Features:

• Caters to the needs of libraries and information centres in the defence and military science domain

• Promotes technical information management, digitization, and security protocols

• Supports training and networking among defence librarians and knowledge managers

• Works under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)

Name of Association	Year of Establishment	Headquarters	Special Features
Association of Medical Librarians of India (AMLI)	1994	New Delhi	Promotes medical/health sciences librarianship; organizes conferences/training; supports biomedical info services and research.
Indian Association of Teachers in LIS (IATLIS)	1969	Panjab University, Chandigarh	Focus on LIS education; supports LIS teachers; publishes journal; hosts seminars and curriculum reform discussions.
Indian Law Libraries Association (ILLA)	2013	New Delhi	Promotes legal librarianship; supports modernization of law libraries; provides training in legal information management.
IAALD India Chapter (Agricultural Libraries)	1998	IARI, New Delhi	Agricultural information and ICT focus; supports digital repositories; affiliated with international IAALD; organizes agri-informatics programs.
Defence Science Library Association (DSLA)	1996	DESIDOC, DRDO, Delhi	Supports libraries in defence/military science; focuses on secure information handling, digitization, and technical knowledge services.

Key Roles of Indian Library Associations

•  Professional Development (Workshops, Conferences, Training)
• Advocacy for Library Legislation (Public Library Acts)
• Research & Publications (Journals, Books, Reports)
• Networking & Collaboration (National & International)
• Digital Library Initiatives (Open Access, E-Resources)