No funds or space, Gandhi Nagar branch library in a shambles

When this reporter visited the library, there were only 20 plastic chairs for readers though the library provides most of the popular English dailies and weeklies in addition to the Tamil periodicals. While district library officials said improvements to the library was possible only through sponsorship, sources said they had appealed to the local MLA, senior DMK leader Duraimurugan, for funds for years ago. However, there has not been any response so far.

The woes are endless: the library has 5,000 members, but no space to keep even the members’ cards at the book issue desk. There is a computer with internet connection, but it cannot be used during office hours as it is being placed near readers’ table for want of space. The plaster from the ceiling is coming off, forcing the librarian to shift his seat to a safer place.

“Though many institutions are willing to provide books, lack of space has resulted in the library being forced to refuse such largesse,” an official revealed. There are two librarians who work in shifts from 8 am to 8 pm and another official for other work.

The VIT University had donated 4,000 books which, however, are kept without an order for want of bookracks, officials added. According to sources, there are 36,000 books and periodicals but about 5,000 of them were destroyed in the rain due to damaged window panes, sources said.

“Ask them to approach me and I will provide them money from the constituency development fund,” assured Duraimurugan when asked if he would extend funds for the library’s improvement. It was started in 1965 as a part-time library and upgraded to a full-fledged library five years ago.