Branch library at Marina to get an “Ocean Station”

Public library near Marina swimming pool to get a facelift

A visit to the branch library at Marina promises to offer a plethora of attractions in addition to the primary one, reading. Visitors will be introduced to fascinating facts about marine animals. Environmentalist Foundation of India (EFI) will soon be working on a project to give this small library near the Marina swimming pool a new look with a unique station for visitors to explore life in the ocean.

Opened on March 31, 2000, the branch library is among the government libraries being revamped in the city.

Arun Krishnamurthy, founder of the Environmentalist Foundation of India (EFI), says the proposal to set up an “Ocean Station” in the library is a unique project in partnership with the government to promote the importance of protecting the marine ecosystem.

“The goal is to offer an interactive space for students and nature enthusiasts to sit, read, debate and participate in quizzes about environment. At the Ocean Station, the focus will be on local marine species such as the Olive Ridley, Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins, Bottlenose Dolphins and Chennai’s shark species. There will be information on other ocean life and the threats they face,” says Arun.

The library will retain its original collection, supplemented with additional nature-focussed resources to help readers learn about Chennai’s marine ecology. The Public Works Department will be handling the building repairs. “Once the repair works are complete, we will step in to remodel and beautify the structure,” says Arun.

Currently, the library sees between 20 and 50 visitors every day, most of whom are students or individuals preparing for competitive exams.

“At least 10 books are borrowed each day, with monthly totals reaching up to 540 visitors and 269 books are out for lending. We hope reconstruction will begin next year, as the library’s infrastructure is quite old. Additionally, the garden area outside will also be revamped along with the planned Ocean Station,” says K. Hariharan, additional incharge of the Marina Branch Library.

The library is open from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., except Fridays.

RA Puram library building to be razed

Key members of Raja Annamalaipuram Residents Association recently met with District Library Officer M. Kavitha to discuss improvement plans for the branch library in R.A. Puram. “November 14 to 20 is observed as National Library Week, and we have initiated reconstruction work for many libraries in and around Chennai. In the Mylapore region, the R.A. Puram library will be included under CMDA project, with work set to begin soon,” said Kavitha.

The library in RA Puram is one of the oldest in the region and has started to show its wounds with cracks and water seepage. The building will be demolished to construct a new one on the same premises. While the space is still open to the public, readers are also encouraged to use the library at St Mary’s Road.

Dr. R. Chandrasekaran, president of RAPRA, expressed gratitude to the District Library Officer, who agreed to the Association’s request to offer the library space for free classes.

“Once the reconstruction work on the library is complete, we plan to use the office space for a free coaching centre on Sundays,” said Dr. Chandrasekaran.

The library currently provides free WiFi for students and visitors. On Children’s Day, RAPRA enrolled 50 new students.

RAPRA has taken steps to repair the broken wooden chairs. Construction is expected to begin in January 2025 and will take six to eight months to complete.

The District Library Officer said libraries are open on weekends and Fridays to ensure students have ample access to resources.

Published - November 16, 2024 10:01 pm IST