Chennai: Chennai: A rush to procure one lakh books within three months before the model code of conduct came into force for the 2026 assembly elections may have helped scamsters push AI-generated books into libraries run by Tamil Nadu govt.Book procurement for five new libraries — Periyar Arivulagam in Coimbatore, Kamarajar Library in Trichy, Bharathidasan Arivulagam in Salem, Anjalai Ammal Library in Cuddalore and Quaid-e-Millath Library in Tirunelveli — was meant to follow a four-stage process. Subject experts from 53 domains would recommend titles, 15 scholars would shortlist them, a procurement committee would negotiate prices, and a high-level committee would grant final approval.The previous government constituted the committees on Nov 5, 2025, setting a three-month deadline to procure one lakh books for the Periyar library’s inauguration in February 2026.Initially, experts submitted around 20,000 recommendations. With insufficient time to identify the remaining 80,000 titles, officials collected lists directly from publishers and sent them to the selection committee. A government source said it would have been impossible for 15 scholars to scrutinise so many titles, potentially allowing fake books into the procurement list.The alleged scam came to light after writer Perumal Murugan identified nearly 1,800 books from Agal Vilakku Pathippagam in the library’s fourth-floor Tamil section. The books reportedly carried inflated prices, AI-generated misinformation, fictitious author names and invalid International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs). Writers and researchers flagged similar irregularities elsewhere.Researchers have raised concerns about English-language books. S Satheesh Kumar, who verified the library’s English collection, found more than 200 titles from 3GE Learning Publications with allegedly fake ISBNs. Priced between ₹6,000 and ₹9,900, some books carried dubious publisher website details and fictitious author credentials.In one instance, a book on electronics and instrumentation named a Pakistani woman as its editor. When contacted, she said she was an environmental scientist. Kumar also found books containing over 60% plagiarised content, with apparently fabricated authors.A Public Libraries Directorate source said the government spent ₹35 crore on 3.5 lakh books for Kalaignar M Karunanidhi Centenary Library in 2022, compared to ₹20 crore for fewer than one lakh books at Periyar Arivulagam.Publishers questioned the decision to bypass the state’s transparent procurement portal. Emerald Publishers CEO G Olivannan said starting procurement when construction began in 2024 would have given publishers sufficient time to prepare new titles. Kalachuvadu publisher Kannan Sundaram said the portal had enabled transparent procurement for more than 4,000 libraries over two years, with readers and librarians reviewing titles and costs.Officials maintained that the portal was intended for existing libraries, while expert committees were responsible for selecting books for new ones.Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption has begun an inquiry into library officials and expert committee members. Thousands of suspected fake books were removed from libraries as of Friday. Public libraries director R V Shajeevana did not respond to calls from TOI.
