CHENNAI: Government exam aspirants and readers from districts outside Chennai are facing difficulties in obtaining membership at the Anna Centenary Library due to the existing requirement for address attestation by a Notary Public, prompting students to seek a simpler Aadhaar-based registration process.
The Anna Centenary Library, one of the city’s major public knowledge hubs, has become a popular destination for competitive examination aspirants, research scholars and readers seeking a conducive environment for reading and self earning.
However, readers from other districts said that the membership procedure has become a hurdle, particularly for those without a Chennai address proof. Those having a regional address at Chennai or Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu (KTCC) can obtain library membership by submitting Aadhaar or other government issued identity documents carrying their address.
But, readers from other districts are required to provide an ‘address accreditation’ certificate attested by a Notary Public for membership. Raja, a library member from a Delta district, said the annual membership fee was only Rs 200, but obtaining the required address attestation had cost him Rs 500. “Some people have reportedly paid around Rs 2,000 to get the address certificate from a Notary Public. It is unreasonable to spend several times the annual membership fee merely to complete the address verification process,” he lamented.
Government exam aspirant Kayalvizhi said that the Anna Centenary Library had become a major support system for aspirants from across Tamil Nadu.
“The library is a boon for those of us preparing for competitive exams. Aspirants from different parts of the State come here to prepare for various exams. The library also provides a good ecosystem where we can meet senior aspirants and learn from their experiences,” she said.
Kayalvizhi pointed out that many aspirants from other districts stay in hostels, paying guest accommodation or bachelor rooms in and around Chennai, and therefore do not possess a local address proof. “I stay in a hostel in Tambaram. Without library membership, I cannot access the book lending facility. If I need a book for my preparation, I have to travel to the library every day just to read it,” she said.
Aspirants have urged the library administration to simplify the procedure and allow readers from all districts to obtain membership using Aadhaar or any other valid government issued identity document, similar to the procedure followed for Chennai-based applicants.