Wednesday 23 November 2011

The Prestigious Anna Centenary Library.


The Anna Centenary Library is an architectural land mark and also is the mark of completion to the location where it stands tall right on the cross roads of  Tamil Nadu's prestigious educational institutes The Anna University, IIT Madras and the Madras University.
Built at a cost of 1,720 million 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. The library is designed to accommodate a total of 1,250 people an auditorium of 50,000 sq. ft. with a seating capacity of 1,280, and an amphitheater 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..
The entrance to the building showcases a 5 ft bronze statue of C.N. Annadurai and has a collection of 550,000 books. 
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.


But unfortunately 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 6 weeks and the next hearing is due on 16 December 2011.
Students and people of Chennai have since been actively participating in an online campaign title "Save Anna Centenary Library".

No comments:

Post a Comment