B-2 - Act respecting the Bibliothèque nationale du Québec

Updated to 1 April 1999

This document has official status.

chapter B-2

Act respecting the Bibliothèque nationale du Québec

Chapter B-2 is replaced by the Act respecting the Bibliothèque nationale du Québec (chapter B-2.1). (1988, c. 42, s. 59).

1988, c. 42, s. 59.

1. In this act, the following expressions mean:

(a)  “National Library” : the Bibliothèque nationale du Québec;

(b)  “chief librarian” : the functionary appointed under this act to manage and control the National Library;

(c)  “document” : any publication of any kind reproduced by printing or any other graphic process, including phonographic and photographic processes, but excluding cinematographic processes;

(d)  “published” : released for public distribution or sale;

(e)  “Minister” : the Minister of Cultural Affairs.

1966-67, c. 24, s. 1; 1977, c. 5, s. 14.

2. All documents acquired by the chief librarian in accordance with this act and all documents constituting the Saint-Sulpice Library on 1 January 1968 shall constitute the Bibliothèque nationale du Québec.

1966-67, c. 24, s. 2; 1977, c. 5, s. 14.

3. The National Library shall be managed and controlled by a chief librarian.

The chief librarian and the other librarians, functionaries and employees of the National Library shall be appointed and remunerated in accordance with the Public Service Act (chapter F-3.1.1).

1966-67, c. 24, s. 3; 1978, c. 15, s. 140; 1983, c. 55, s. 161.

4. The Government may establish an advisory committee, composed of the chief librarian and eight other members, to advise the Minister on any matter relating to the National Library.

The members of such committee shall not receive any remuneration as such; they may be indemnified for expenses incurred to attend meetings and may receive an attendance allowance fixed by the Government.

Such committee may make such rules as it deems expedient for its internal management; such rules shall come into force upon approval by the Government.

1966-67, c. 24, s. 4.

5. The chief librarian of the National Library shall:

(a)  collect and keep, if possible in their original form, copies of the documents published in Québec and of those published outside Québec that treat mainly of Québec;

(b)  acquire and keep all the documents which he can collect and which may be useful for research in the various branches of knowledge;

(c)  compile and publish periodically a current bibliography and a cumulative bibliography of the documents published in Québec and of those published outside Québec that treat mainly of Québec;

(d)  make and keep up to date a catalogue of the collections of the most important libraries in Québec;

(e)  encourage bibliographic research and, if expedient, organize a bibliographic centre;

(f)  cause an index to be made of the principal periodicals of Québec and ensure the regular publication of such index;

(g)  organize a central document exchange bureau for the benefit of the libraries of Québec;

(h)  perform any other similar function assigned to him by the Minister.

1966-67, c. 24, s. 5.

6. The Minister, with the authorization of the Government, may make agreements with any government or governmental body, with the owner or administrator of any other library or with any public or private institution, respecting the acquisition and conservation of documents and the planning of the activities of the National Library or any other library.

1966-67, c. 24, s. 6.

7. The chief librarian may organize exhibitions to make known and render more useful the resources of the collections of the National Library and those of other libraries or bodies.

1966-67, c. 24, s. 7.

8. Every publisher of a document published in Québec shall, within thirty days from the date of publication of such document and at his own expense deliver two copies thereof to the National Library; but where the retail value of the two copies to be delivered exceeds in the aggregate $25, or where not more than fifty copies of such document are printed, one copy only shall be required.

Failing a publisher domiciled or having a place of business in Québec, the obligation imposed by this section shall devolve upon the following persons domiciled or having a place of business in Québec:

(a)  the printer of the document or the person who reproduces it by a graphic process other than printing or, failing them,

(b)  the person having the exclusive right to distribute the document in Québec or, failing him,

(c)  the author of the document, in the case of a printed document.

1966-67, c. 24, s. 8.

9. The Minister may acquire, at the expense of any person who fails to comply with section 8 within the delay provided therein, the copies which that section requires to be deposited.

1966-67, c. 24, s. 9.

10. The Government, by regulation, may:

(a)  withdraw from the application of section 8 such categories of documents as it may indicate;

(b)  determine, by category, the documents whereof it is sufficient to deliver a single copy, in addition to those mentioned in section 8;

(c)  determine, by category, the documents whereof it is sufficient to deliver a single copy for a limited time, prescribed by the regulation, to enable the chief librarian to make copies thereof;

(d)  determine the particulars to be mentioned on any document contemplated in section 8 or in the container of such a document, to indicate that such document has been delivered in conformity with that section and the date when it was so delivered;

(e)  in the case of a document the copies of which are not of uniform quality, determine the quality of the copies required to be delivered under section 8.

Such regulations shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Gazette officielle du Québec or on such later date as is fixed therein.

1966-67, c. 24, s. 10.

11. Every person who fails to comply with section 8 or with the regulations made under paragraphs d and e of section 10 shall be guilty of an offence and liable, on summary proceeding, in addition to the costs, to a fine of $25 to $100 for the first offence and $50 to $200 for each subsequent offence within two years.

Every person, required to comply with section 8, who notes or authorizes to be noted on a document a statement that such document has been delivered to the National Library when such delivery has not been made, shall be guilty of an offence and liable, on summary proceeding, in addition to the costs, to a fine of $50 to $200 for the first offence, and $100 to $400 for each subsequent offence within two years.

1966-67, c. 24, s. 11.

12. The documents acquired by the chief librarian under this act shall be public property of Québec.

1966-67, c. 24, s. 12.

13. The Minister of Cultural Affairs shall have charge of the carrying out of this act.

1966-67, c. 24, s. 14.

14. The Public Libraries Act (chapter B-3) shall not apply to the National Library.

1966-67, c. 24, s. 15.

15. (This section ceased to have effect on 17 April 1987).

1982, c. 21, s. 1; U. K., 1982, c. 11, Sch. B, Part I, s. 33.

REPEAL SCHEDULE

In accordance with section 17 of the Act respecting the consolidation of the statutes (chapter R-3), chapter 24 of the statutes of 1966 /1967, in force on 31 December 1977, is repealed, except sections 13 and 17, effective from the coming into force of chapter B-2 of the Revised Statutes.