A public library named after former Tamil Nadu chief minister M. Karunanidhi in Madurai has removed 800 books supplied by Phoenix Publishers after an ISBN-based review reportedly found books carrying irregular or counterfeit registration details, according to Dinamalar.
The books were identified during an examination of purchases made from Phoenix Publishers. The review followed the discovery of books linked to Phoenix and Agalvilakku publishers at the E.V.R. Library in Coimbatore, the report said. The Madurai library was subsequently examined for books acquired from the same publishers.
ISBN, or International Standard Book Number, is a standard identification code used for books and related publications. According to the report, the review found books published under the Phoenix name carrying ISBN details that did not correspond appropriately to the books. Dinamalar reported that titles and author names from copyrighted books had allegedly been used to obtain identification numbers before books were printed and supplied to the library.
The removed collection includes 800 books across 356 titles. The books cover several subjects, including English, science and computer science, according to a library official quoted by Dinamalar. The official said the collection was removed after an order was issued to take away all books bearing the Phoenix Publishers name following the controversy.
The books were purchased during the 2022-23 financial year, when the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government was in office, the report said. The political reference identifies the period of procurement but does not, in the supplied report, establish responsibility for the alleged irregularities or describe the procurement decision-making process.
The report also said that no books from Agalvilakku Publishers were found at the Madurai library. It did not provide the total purchase value of the 800 books, the names of the titles removed, details of the ISBN review process beyond the identification-code examination, or information on whether the books would be replaced.
The episode places attention on how public libraries verify books before purchase, catalogue them and add them to collections used by readers. The supplied report does not state whether the removed books were available for circulation, whether readers had borrowed them, or what further administrative or legal action is planned.
For now, the stated administrative action is the removal of all 800 Phoenix Publishers books from the Madurai library, covering 356 titles. Further details on procurement records, replacement books and any inquiry into the purchases were not included in the report.
