| Anna Centenary Library | |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| Type | Public Library |
| Established | September 15, 2010 |
| Location | Kotturpuram, Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
| Collection | |
| Items collected | Books, Journals, Magazines, Braille Books, Manuscripts |
| Size | 1.2 million[1] |
| Criteria for collection | Books from leading publishers throughout the world |
| Other information | |
| Director | G. Arivoli, Director of Public Libraries, Tamil Nadu |
| Staff | 150 |
The Anna Centenary Library (ACL) is a newly established state library of Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located at Kotturpuram in Chennai, Tamil Nadu India. Built at a cost of 1,720 million, it is the largest library in South Asia.[1] It is named after the former chief minister of Tamil Nadu, C. N. Annadurai. It is built by the then chief-minister of Tamilnadu, M. Karunanidhi. The average number of persons who visited the library between January and October 2011 is around 26,500, compared to the monthly average of 20,000 in 2010.[2]
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Built on 8 acres of land, the 9-floor library building houses a total area of 333,140 sq. ft and has a capacity to accommodate 1.2 million books. ACL has planned to adopt an integrated library management system that includes automated issue and return of books, user smartcards, access controls, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology and self-check counters. The library is designed to accommodate a total of 1,250 persons;[3] an auditorium of 50,000 sq. ft. with a seating capacity of 1,280, and an amphitheatre on the terrace that can accommodate more than 800 persons and two conference halls with capacities of 151 and 30 persons are some of the facilities available. A dedicated children's section, spread over 15,000 sq. ft. has a fun-filled theme-based reading area with multimedia kits and storybooks. The library also boasts a high-tech section for the visually-impaired, with talking books and Braille displays. Parking space exists for about 420 cars and 1,030 two-wheelers.[4] A separate power substation with a capacity of 32 kV has been built on the premises. CCTV cameras have been installed in 493 locations in the building. A food court in the building is capable of serving 180 persons at any given point in time. The library was designed by C. N. Raghavendran.
The entrance to the building showcases a 5 ft bronze statue of C.N. Annadurai. The library employs 200 staff, including 96 permanent and 40 contract employees, and has a collection of 550,000 books. It is visited by about 2700 persons every day.
The library has a special section for Braille, children's books and manuscripts etc. The building is designed in such a way that the reading area receives good daylight. The western end is flanked by the service areas to prevent solar radiation. The seven-storey atrium allows in abundant natural light.[5]
In October 2010, soon after the inauguration, the library placed an order involving 35,174 books worth £1.275 million with the Cambridge University Press (CUP), resulting in the biggest sale in CUP's history to an academic library in India and the biggest invoice CUP has ever issued – at 2,794 pages long.[3]
A single order worth a million euros was placed with the world's largest publisher of books, Springer, which publishes in the fields of science, technology and medicine.
Hillary Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State had lauded the library during her visit to Chennai on 20 July 2011.[6]
On 2 November 2011, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha announced that the library will be converted into a super-specialty pediatric hospital. However, on a petition filed against this move, the Madras High Court ordered on 4 November 2011, that the shifting should be stayed and asked the government to submit an answer within six weeks. Scholars, Poets, Professors, Research Scientists, Professionals, Students and people of Chennai have since been actively participating in an online campaign titled Save Anna Centenary Library Campaign.[7]