Anna Library to soon offer free Wi-Fi for all
CHENNAI: Anna Centenary Library (ACL) will offer free Wi-Fi connectivity to all readers from the first week of January. Currently this feature is available only to those with membership.
Confirming that free Wi-Fi for all is currently on trial, officials told DT Next that it will encourage more readers to venture into e-book collections and digital libraries.
As part of the preparations, 25 modems were installed in the huge library about a month ago. “After the completion of the modem installation, we are testing on each segment. As per the requirements in each section of the building and on each floor, two to three modems have been installed on each floor,” said a senior ACL official.
The library sees about 1,400 visitors on weekdays and more than 1,500 on weekends, officials said, adding that the new access option will help many of them. “There were 571 users of e-journals in 2023. With the introduction of free WiFi for all, this will increase significantly,” an official said.
Free Wi-Fi is already available in the library, but only for members and that too only on the seventh floor. The library has approximately 5,000 members.
The library, which has over six lakh books, charges an annual membership fee of Rs 250 for individuals, Rs 500 for family, Rs 100 for students and Rs 75 for the elderly.
