here is a general perception that public libraries in the southern suburbs have improved. There is, however, room for more improvement.
For instance, for the past few days, a part-time library at the Sembakkam Municipality has been turned into an Aadhaar Card Enumeration Centre.
Most of the libraries in the southern suburbs thrive on the benevolence of ‘puravalars’ — those who contribute funds to improve these facilities.
For every area that gets a public library, there are many others that are denied one.
Among the 15 village panchayats in the southern suburbs that come under the St. Thomas Mount Panchayat Union, a number of them lack a library.
Rented space
Some village panchayats do not have buildings to house libraries due to the want of land or funds to construct one. In the southern suburbs, there are over 60 branch libraries. While nearly all of them have regular staff, a few of them are under the supervision of temporary staff.
Constructing branch libraries in all localities and appointing permanent staff will go a long way towards encouraging the reading habit among the young, especially school students, says K. Kousalya of Perungalathur.
District library officer K. Rajendran says 15 part-time libraries in rural areas were upgraded as full-time libraries recently; and preference is given to rural areas when it assistance for setting up libraries.
The department has plans to set up a library at every village panchayat, provided the space is identified by the respective local bodies.
