ABOUT LIBRARY

There was only the University of Madras for the whole state of Tamilnadu until 1967 other than the Annamalai University - a privately funded one. It was Dr.A.Lakshmanaswamy Mudaliar who thought of a Post Graduate Centre of the University of Madras, down south. The Post Graduate Centre of the University of Madras was opened on 15th December 1957,at the premises of the time old renouned The American College at Madurai. Dr.S.J.Savarirayan, Principal of the American College was the in-charge person of the Centre.

The occasion was marked with the establishment of a small library with Prof. S.Gnanamuthu as the Librarian, who later became the first University Librarian. On 2nd February, 1957, Dr.C.P.Ramaswamy Aiyar laid the foundation stone for a new library building at the N.M.R. Subbaraman Park adjacent to the Pandyan Hotel. The building was opened by Dr.C.D.Deshmukh, the then chairman of the University Grants Commission on 16th October, 1961.

In view of the growing number of colleges in the southerndistricts encircling Madurai as an academic pivotal point, the Government of Tamilnadu pronounced the opening of a University, bifurcating from the University of Madras. That was the Madurai University which breathed in on 1st February 1966. The University of Madras Extension Centre Library was renamed as the Madurai University Library.

The city complex could not cater to the growing needs of the new born university, the authorities decided to shift to a new venue named Palkalainagar near Vadapalanji village, on the Theni Main Road. The new building was declared open on November 20, 1973 by Thiru V.R. Nedunchezhiyan, the then Pro-chancellor of the University. The total cost of the building and furniture came upto Rs. 14,04,251. The library was constructed with the financial assistance of the UGC and the Government of Tamilnadu. The University Library was shifted from the old campus at Tallakulam to Palkalainagar and it started functioning in the new building from April 3, 1974. it is called "Dr.T.P.Meenakshisundaranar Library" after out first Vice - Chancellor.