<p>Spread over a massive area of 2.13 lakh square feet, the Kalaignar Centenary Library built in memory of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi in the ancient city of Madurai will welcome visitors from this week with a rich collection of 3.3 lakh books of different genre in Tamil and English.</p>.<p>Chief Minister M K Stalin will inaugurate the six-storied state-of-the-art modern building, constructed at a cost of Rs 114 crore, on July 15 on the occasion of the birth anniversary of veteran Congressman and former CM K Kamaraj. The fully air-conditioned library with modern amenities was built in about a year after Stalin made the announcement on June 3, 2021, weeks after he took oath as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. </p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/south/allot-10000-mt-each-of-wheat-and-tur-dal-to-control-prices-tamil-nadu-to-centre-1236331.html" target="_blank">Allot 10,000 MT each of wheat and tur dal to control prices: Tamil Nadu to Centre</a></strong></p>.<p>The new facility is modelled on the lines of the Anna Centenary Library, which hosted the then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2011, in Chennai. The library, which was built by Karunanidhi in 2010, was almost dysfunctional for 10 years after the Madras High Court struck down the decision by J Jayalalithaa to convert it into a children’s hospital.</p>.<p>The Kalaignar Centenary Library on the New Natham Road in Madurai will help students, civil service aspirants, and those who appear for competitive exams from southern districts to access books, e-books, and journals, officials said. </p>.<p>There is a separate section on Karunanidhi which will allow visitors to read books penned by him through his film and political career and those written on his life. </p>.<p>Renting books, reading books, children’s section, Tamil books, newspapers, English books, research magazines, competitive exams, and rare books are some of the sections of the new library. Other features include virtual reality experience of operating a flight.</p>.<p>Officials said books in Tamil and English recommended by subject experts will be on display at the library, which also boasts of a massive auditorium for hosting events relating to children and science development. </p>.<p>Special facilities have been made for physically challenged and visually impaired persons, who will get access to audiobooks. “The library is also planning to host programmes during the holiday season for school students. Efforts are also being taken to conduct programs to guide graduates, classes for women on self-employment, and special training to physically challenged,” a senior government official said, </p>.<p>The library will also have collection of rare books, including ‘Justice’ periodical collection published in 1918, about 50 books published by leaders of Dravidian movement and ‘Sathuragarathi’ (Tamil Dictionary) which was first published in 1824 – only the second place in the world to display it after the British Museum in London. </p>
<p>Spread over a massive area of 2.13 lakh square feet, the Kalaignar Centenary Library built in memory of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi in the ancient city of Madurai will welcome visitors from this week with a rich collection of 3.3 lakh books of different genre in Tamil and English.</p>.<p>Chief Minister M K Stalin will inaugurate the six-storied state-of-the-art modern building, constructed at a cost of Rs 114 crore, on July 15 on the occasion of the birth anniversary of veteran Congressman and former CM K Kamaraj. The fully air-conditioned library with modern amenities was built in about a year after Stalin made the announcement on June 3, 2021, weeks after he took oath as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. </p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/south/allot-10000-mt-each-of-wheat-and-tur-dal-to-control-prices-tamil-nadu-to-centre-1236331.html" target="_blank">Allot 10,000 MT each of wheat and tur dal to control prices: Tamil Nadu to Centre</a></strong></p>.<p>The new facility is modelled on the lines of the Anna Centenary Library, which hosted the then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2011, in Chennai. The library, which was built by Karunanidhi in 2010, was almost dysfunctional for 10 years after the Madras High Court struck down the decision by J Jayalalithaa to convert it into a children’s hospital.</p>.<p>The Kalaignar Centenary Library on the New Natham Road in Madurai will help students, civil service aspirants, and those who appear for competitive exams from southern districts to access books, e-books, and journals, officials said. </p>.<p>There is a separate section on Karunanidhi which will allow visitors to read books penned by him through his film and political career and those written on his life. </p>.<p>Renting books, reading books, children’s section, Tamil books, newspapers, English books, research magazines, competitive exams, and rare books are some of the sections of the new library. Other features include virtual reality experience of operating a flight.</p>.<p>Officials said books in Tamil and English recommended by subject experts will be on display at the library, which also boasts of a massive auditorium for hosting events relating to children and science development. </p>.<p>Special facilities have been made for physically challenged and visually impaired persons, who will get access to audiobooks. “The library is also planning to host programmes during the holiday season for school students. Efforts are also being taken to conduct programs to guide graduates, classes for women on self-employment, and special training to physically challenged,” a senior government official said, </p>.<p>The library will also have collection of rare books, including ‘Justice’ periodical collection published in 1918, about 50 books published by leaders of Dravidian movement and ‘Sathuragarathi’ (Tamil Dictionary) which was first published in 1824 – only the second place in the world to display it after the British Museum in London. </p>
