Five months after the British Council Library shut down its Anna Salai premises, the American Center Chennai (ACC) has also decided to go digital. Patrons were informed last month to return books on loan by Sept 30 as the Center ‘will transition from physical lending to a modern model’.The Center, set to observe its 80th anniversary next year, said in a communication that the decision was in line with the stance adopted by global libraries, which recognised how readers are turning to digital platforms. In July, Easwari lending library closed its Purasawalkam branch, selling its books at throwaway prices.Sources say books at ACC library will be available only for in-house reference and lending has been discontinued. However, the eLibraryUSA portal, which offers digital titles, journals and resources, remains available. The Center’s computers also remain open for digital access.“The American Centers in India remain fully open. We are modernising our facilities to reflect how our community accesses information today. Later this year, we will unveil enhanced spaces featuring expanded digital tools and new AI capabilities,” says the embassy spokesperson.Home to more than 19,000 titles, the library holds fond memories for members such as Anitha George, former consultant with Sherwood Hall Senior Secondary School, whose teenage granddaughter Dhriti is a frequent visitor. “Adults in metros are not inclined to visit libraries like they used to, as they can afford books. Many libraries have closed because of low footfalls and rising overheads. But there is a huge demand for reading material among children in small town schools as they have no access to digital books or publications,” says the retired educator who assists in teacher training in schools in rural TN. “In Tharangambadi and Pudupattinam, where we helped set up schools for children from the fishermen community, we have seen students gravitating towards books. What we need are satellite libraries in underserved areas.”
