Pioneer & Donor: Kanagasabai Mudalithambi Chellappah, a judicial officer and Tamil–Sinhala scholar, initiated the free library movement in Jaffna by lending books from his home in 1933.
Beyond just lending, he encouraged the community’s involvement by appealing in both Tamil and English through local newspapers. This led to the formation of a formal committee in June 1934, tasked with establishing a public library.
His contributions included not only books and periodicals but also initial funding about Rs. 1,184 and 22 cents which helped launch the library’s early operations.
Prof. S. R. Ranganathan, a preeminent librarian from Delhi, provided expert advice to shape the library according to international standards.
K. S. Narasimhan (also referenced as V. M. Narasimhan), an authority on Dravidian architecture and an architect from the Government of Madras, created the structural plans aligning the building with the cultural aesthetics of the region.