A potted history of libraries in police quarters

Chennai district library authority has been running libraries at the police quarters at Otteri, Pulianthope, Periamet and AR Lines.

The linearly-set blocks at the Otteri police quarters together offer a facade that is neat but lacking in striking features. There is one redeeming feature though. In its middle section, the quarters is likely to evoke curiosity around the crepuscular hour. A lit room with an open door in a ground floor draws eyes, even from the road (Permabur Barracks Road). It the contours of people hunched over reading material that catches the eye. It is a full-time library, one that rolls out the red carpet to anyone who cares to set foot in it.

Obviously, its primary constituency comprises residents of the police quarters.

“It is a library open to everyone, but as it is located inside the residential enclave (in this case, a police quarters), the general public assume it is out of bounds for them,” says an official of the Chennai district library authority who has a finger on the pulse of this library.

This library was established along with three others and they slot into a category in terms of their geography, not function.

“Along with this library, a couple of others were established in police quarters. In 2002, when he was Chennai city police commissioner, K. Vijay Kumar undertook this exercise for the benefit of police personnel and their families in three police quarters.”

The official lists the notable police quarters libraries: Otteri, Pulianthope, Periamet and AR Lines. “The Otteri police quarters library was “grown” out of rubble of the library that was demolished along with the police quarters in Kilpauk,” the official elaborates. The Otteri police quarters library is largely stocked on Tamil books. “As it is a full-time library, every year its receives 2000 to 3000 books from the headquarters.”