Travel Diary
To: "Min Nuul"
From: "Kannan"
Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 11:50:11 +0100
Subject: [e-suvadi] Travel Diary 29.01.02
Reply-to: [email protected]
Dear Suvadians:
Muhapper is where Roja Muthiah Library is located. An hour's drive from
Gindy, for a travel of approximately 12 km. This is because, Chennai
has
exploded with vehicle traffic not in proportion with road building.
Infra structure
is '0' but people buy every model car available on the market (a good
choice
of them is available now). Wise men go for a mountain bike or a Jeep.
Bus travel
may break your neck and you may get a back ache after an 'auto' drive!
Mr.Theoder Baskaran, the ex-director of Roja Muthiah Library has
arranged a
Jeep for us. Mr.Baskar the Director-in-charge picked us
(Narasiah+Kannan)
from Guidy. The library venue is not that impressive. It is a research
library
and is not open for public yet. But people do visit. Therefore it is a
reference
library. It is obvious for an observer that the library is under
construction. A
huge collection of books are still unopened from cartons that divide
the
library
shelves from the reading room. A huge pile of books lies down in a
corner
to be dispersed to other libraries. This library receives books from
donors
as well. Apart from the original collection of Roja Muthiah, several
donors
added up the worth of this place including A.K.Ramanujan. Visitors can
not
avoid the all pervasive penchant smell of the library. The DDT powder
Mr.Muthiah used once to preserve his collection pose a health hazard to
the employees and visitors. One gets used to it - in a typical Indian
way
after a while!
One recalls that if not for a generous grant from the University of
Michigan
this library won't exist in its present form. It does not have the
elegance of
U.Ve.Sa library. But unlike the later, this library has a young,
educated team
of employees who know library science. This library is very modern.
Their challenges are unique as well. Unlike a regular library, Roja
Muthiah
has collected for his library not only books but wedding invitations.
rare
paintings, bit notices, etc. Therefore, preservation, arrangement,
cataloguing
should be done in a creative way. This library's strong point is its
'micro-
film' unit and digital imaging of microfilms. They are experienced in
getting foreign grants from Welcome Institute (UK), Ford Foundation
(USA)
etc.
Mr.Baskar gave us a tour and listened to me as well regarding THF
initiative.
He was impressed by our digital images of suvadies, our collection of
tamil writers photos and other such unique items. We discussed topics
of collaboration. One of my idea was to digitize Silpi's unique
sketches
of temples and karpagrahams from Vikatan malars ranging from
1950-60 and present it as a joint venture in TI 2002 conference. We
are working out the intricacies of copy right. I consult Mr.Ghandi
Kannadasan, our PM consultant on this matter.
For an amount of US$ 4,000 they are ready to microfilm and digitize the
entire collection of Mahabaratha and other unique
collection of Satchithanandan (20,000 pages). They are ready to join us
in collaboration on any innovative project.
I spelled out our idea of MOU (memorandum of understanding) and they
were receptive.
Roja Muthiah Library needs a new venue with more ventilation. This will
avoid the present occupational hazard posed by Mr.Muthiah's old
collection.
anpuTan
Kannan