CHENNAI: The imposing structure of Anna Centenary Library in Kotturpuram may easily be passed off as an MNC headquarters. Spread over a vast eight-acre area with eight floors and a seating capacity for at least 1,500 people at a time, it stands tall as a symbol of pride for the knowledge seekers in Chennai. Those who are not reading books may be enjoying a hot cuppa coffee at the cafe inside. When their parents or guardians get immersed in books, kids make merry in the designated play area.
What makes this library special is the facilities it provides to make people with disabilities feel at home. The Braille section of the library is equipped with superior technology, including computers with non-visual desktop access, digital collections of books for competitive examinations in both Tamil and English, Braille typewriters, audio-enabled scan reading, and more.
Speaking about his daily routine, S Radhakrishnan, a Grade-1 librarian of the Braille section, says, “Before we commence our regular tasks, we scan one Tamil and English newspaper and e-mail them to all 2,153 visually impaired members every day.”The Braille section also extends its volunteer services to visually impaired students who are preparing for competitive exams such as TNPSC, UPSC, staff selection, banking, RRB, UGC-NET & JRF, among others.
P Ezhilarasi (28) from Tenkasi, a user of the Braille section, says, “I reside in a women’s hostel in the city. My mother is a daily wage labourer in our hometown. I am a postgraduate and have completed B.Ed and a law degree. I aspire to secure a government job and serve the people. Due to financial constraints, my family is unable to afford private coaching. However, the Braille section (of the library) has become my saviour. I spend my entire day here, preparing for the TNPSC exams.”
“Numerous volunteers approach us to offer their services — to teach, read, scribe, and other educational-related assistance. This section acts as a bridge between the visually impaired readers and the public,” shares Radhakrishnan.
The librarian explains that the Braille section currently boasts of a collection of 2,000 books related to competitive examinations, and it also enables readers to copy the books to their pen drives or other storage devices. The regular collection extends to 3,500 books, encompassing various subjects like literature, public administration, economics, sociology, mathematics, engineering, science, medical history, political science, geography, and more. The volunteers here support the visually impaired job seekers to apply for competitive examinations.
Karthikeyan, the chief librarian, says, “The library also facilitates book releases with a 60% discount and offers an auditorium for special meetings. Our primary aim is to guide research scholars and provide them with appropriate resources.”
Another user, K Sasi (30) from Villupuram, says, “I have completed my postgraduate studies along with a B.Ed. Currently, I am preparing for banking and staff selection exams. For the past year, I have been utilising this library and most importantly, enjoying my studies. The staff here treat us like family members and provide tremendous support.”
Both Ezhilarasi and Sasi hope that the state government will establish similar libraries in other locations to cater to the educational needs of rural students. They also expect an increase in the visually impaired job quota from the existing 1% since most private organisations are reluctant to hire them. But no matter what, they are focused on the process, thanks to the facilities and staff of Anna Centenary Library.
(Edited by Anagha)