▁became ▁the ▁first ▁such ▁Act ▁to ▁be ▁passed ▁in ▁the ▁newly ▁independent ▁republic ▁of ▁India . ▁Act s ▁for ▁other ▁areas , ▁such ▁as ▁Ker ala ▁and ▁H ary ana , ▁followed ▁and ▁generally ▁improved ▁on ▁the ▁earlier ▁legisl ation . ▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁Act , ▁the ▁principal ▁library ▁of ▁Mad ras ▁was ▁the ▁Con nem ara ▁Public ▁Library , ▁which ▁had ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 0 ▁and ▁became ▁a ▁public ▁library ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 6 . ▁A ▁small ▁ref und able ▁depos it ▁was ▁required ▁to ▁use ▁it ▁but ▁it ▁was ▁essentially ▁free . ▁It ▁became ▁the ▁State ▁Central ▁Library ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁and , ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁a ▁de pository ▁library . ▁ ▁Pro vis ions ▁The ▁Mad ras ▁Public ▁L ibr aries ▁Act ▁provides ▁for ▁overall ▁govern ance ▁by ▁a ▁State ▁Library ▁Committee , ▁pres ided ▁over ▁by ▁the ▁inc umb ent ▁Education ▁Minister ▁for ▁the ▁State . ▁The ▁committee ▁compr ises ▁members ▁from ▁various ▁wal ks ▁of ▁life , ▁including ▁represent atives ▁from ▁univers ities ▁and ▁from ▁the ▁State ▁Library ▁Association , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁Secretary ▁whose ▁primary ▁function ▁is ▁as ▁assistant ▁to ▁the ▁Director ▁of ▁Public ▁L ibr aries ▁( D PL ). ▁The ▁latter ▁role ▁is ▁assumed ▁by ▁the ▁inc umb ent ▁Director ▁of ▁Public ▁Inst ruction . ▁ ▁Re venue ▁is ▁obtained ▁via ▁a ▁c ess , ▁a ▁tax ▁which ▁is ▁collected ▁by ▁local ▁administrative ▁bodies ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁Nag ar ▁Pal ik