New Madurai
Project - Free Library Network in and around Madurai
www.newmadurai.org

Project Requirements document version: Draft - 0.1
Project Code: NM-0001
Project Title: Project - Free Library Network in and around Madurai
Project Summary: This project is to build a network of free libraries in and around Madurai. This is part of the education project in order to help the people who cannot afford for books. This is one of our initial efforts to inspire people of Madurai to read and be inspired in life, especially students, who are our pillars of Madurai.

Motto: Dr. Abdul Kalam's words - Read, Read, Read, you start thinking, then you start dreaming, then you start doing actions subconsciously.

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Library, a project from New Madurai. (Please let us know, if you don’t like the name).

Purpose: To provide free access to books, magazines, newspapers, (Not possible, after first launch) internet access for on-and-below poverty people.

Target group: Library should be open for anybody who wants to read. But still, since we should aim for a group as target, here are the groups we are targeting for.

	school students (STD 1 to STD 12)
	college students – any
	people who have hunger to read and people who are inspired and to be inspired and
	people who cannot afford books - on and below poverty line children.

Education of the society is the prime aim.
Giving back to society
Collecting from community and streamlining into a library project which is the one of the constructive things.
Everybody has to have the same passion to read (as many people have), which even schools cannot make it.
Provide books to change lives.
Provide free stuff (books and browsing) to the persons who cannot afford.

Free Cool water
Free Tea
Free Browsing – later
Free membership - We don't cost anything. We just give to you -chance to read.

Language – Tamil and English books.
Topics – Biography, Autobiography, Inspirational, Arts,
Literature – Tamil & English, Engineering, Computers, Philosophy, Religion, Psychology, History, Geography, Social Sciences, Political Sciences, Law, Education, Career, Music, Fine Arts, Language and Literature, Science, Medicine, Agriculture, Technology.
Extra Books – Old and second hand books. School books that are given away to the waste shop. Books can be donated by anybody. Even one old book from their home is acceptable.
Locations – Initially library will be opened in one place. Later, as days go by, we will expand the network with many locations. As such Madurai can be divided into

	Madurai – West	Madurai – East
	Madurai – North	Madurai – South
	Melur	Kottampatti
	Alanganallur	Vadipatti
	Thirumangalam	Thiruparangundram
	Chellampatti	Sedapatti
	T.Kallupatti	Kallikudi
	Usilampatti.

To see the zone based areas, please click on the Madurai zone you want to look at:

http://www.maduraicorporation.com/Maduraiheader.asp?fname=explorecity1.htm

To look at the outskirts of Madurai:

http://www.madurai.tn.nic.in/block.html
http://www.madurai.tn.nic.in/taluk.html

At the least one human resource needed for every library we build - HR expense.
Books
Tables, Space - advance and rent, Space – maintenance, Racks, Chairs, Stools, Water, Clothes, Mat, Free tea expenses, Other misc. and cosmetic expenses, Electricity expenses, Stationery Expenses, Promotional expenses, Web Presence expenses – creation, Web Presence expenses – maintenance, (only if possible. 90% not possible in first launch)Library Management System - Simple application, development and Deployment, NGO registration expenses, Book keeping expenses, (Only if possible, 90% not possible in first launch)Computers - only one for now, Accessories to computers, going forward, more computers and free internet. Initially no internet, but as funds come in – free browsing feature will be launched – which might not be shortly.

Depending upon the community strength (expected 500 to 1000 members) built on New Madurai and NGO registration procedure schedule, first Library will be launched EITHER in December ’05 with the registration only OR in March ’06.

There are three different cost estimates
Launching expense,
Operating expense and
Expansion expense.

We will shortly come up with detailed expense and financial plan, after your inputs.
Fund Raising Thoughts:

Get donated by the Madurai local people and the network inside India and the network outside India.
Get donated by the well-wishers, friend’s network, online community, Alumni network, Industries, entrepreneurs, Volunteers, Officers, wealthy people in and around Madurai.
Generate money by conducting functions - conducting events and generating money on the name of donation.
Sell T-Shirts, Books etc., to a concerned group of people to improve revenue.
Produce handicrafts (school arts competition) free and of low cost and sell it in a different wealthy market as gift and classic articles. For example, conduct a competition in a school and get all the articles which we can sell and get money whatever margin we get paid on it.
Advertising and Promotions to get more donations or Book funding.
Some fraction of personal money added.
Need to come up with a financial plan, so that we never go out of money.

Action Items before first launch
	New Madurai volunteers list must have reached to at least 500 to 1000 people online.
	Fund Raising should have gone full fledged.
	New Madurai Foundation should be registered as an NGO.
	A bank account should have been opened on the name of New Madurai Foundation. Tax evasion certificate is applied and received.
	Board of Advisors/Directors has to be appointed.

Event management

Maintenance, Advertising and Expansion.

Once the first launch is done, expanding the network is no big deal. Only starting the venture is difficult.