Anna library gets Rs 5 crore to buy books

Now, after seven years of neglect, the library, located in Kotturpuram, may soon get a facelift as the State government has allocated Rs 5 crore for the purchase of new and quality books to be added to its collection.

Making the announcement, School Education Minister KA Sengottaiyan told the Assembly on Thursday that the government would also allot Rs 25 crore for other government libraries in the state. The ACL was earlier blamed for not having quality and updated books and those who prepared for competitive examinations had suffered as the library had no proper magazines, journals and books. 

A Soundararajan, writer and former MLA, said, “The library has not been maintained for years. At least the government seems to have come to its senses now and has sanctioned funds to revive it.” The funds should be used to buy quality books, he remarked.  G Karthika, a book lover, who also runs a private library in the city, said, “The officials should exercise extreme caution while purchasing the books. They can seek feedback from the public.”

Built at a cost of Rs 172 crore on an eight acre land in Kotturpuram and inaugurated in 2010, the nine-storey building used to attract 25,000 persons a day. However, a controversy arose in 2011 when the late Jayalalithaa decided to shift the library to the Integrated Knowledge Park located on the campus of the Directorate of Public Instruction campus in Nungambakkam. 

Jayalalithaa also decided to convert the library building into a Super Specialty Pediatric hospital and it drew severe criticism from educationists and other activists. The Madras High Court had then stayed the government’s decision to shift the library.