Sri Lankan Libraries Need
Urgent Assistance
W.A.Abeysinghe,
Chairman
National Library and Documentation Services Board, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka plunged in to crisis as giant tidal waves lashed the southern,
northern, and eastern coasts of the country causing over 20,000 deaths
and massive lost of property. The sudden rise in sea-level, a phenomenon
known as Tsunami, had been unleashed by a massive earthquake measured
at 8.9 Richter scale, near northern Sumatra, Indonesia at 6.58 a.m.
(Sri Lankan time) on Sunday 26th December 2004. According to the US
Geological survey this was the fifth largest quake for a century and
the biggest for 40 years. A wall of water as high as 50 feet triggered
by the earthquake hit the Sri Lankan coast around 9.45 a.m. (Sri Lankan
time). In some areas in Sri Lanka the killer waves had traveled as
far as 5 kilometers inland and sucked in almost every thing standing
in its way. It is estimated that over one million people in the country
have been affected by this phenomenal tragedy. Amidst this catastrophe
a large number of school libraries, community libraries, children
libraries, public libraries, libraries belong to religious institutions
and a large number of private/home libraries in the affected areas
have either been completely destroyed or severely affected.
In this hour of calamity the National Library and Documentation Services
Board (NLDSB) of Sri Lanka seeks assistance from the international
community to reconstruct/repair the damaged libraries and the restoration
of the damaged books and other library material. According to the
preliminary estimates the damage to the buildings and to the other
infrastructure facilities is huge and the donations in the form of
either library material or financial assistance are sought from the
international library community. Monetary donations can be sent to
the NLDSB account no. 00251620073963 at the Peoples Bank, Park Street
Branch, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Further details please. contact Upali
Amarasiri, Director General, NLDSB, 14, Independence Avenue, Colombo
7. Sri Lanka. Website www.natlib.lk , www.lankapage.com, E-mail dg@mail.natlib.lk
Tel. 94 11 2687581, Facsimile 94 11 2685201. Many thanks in advance
for your support.
W.A.Abeysinghe,
Chairman
National Library and Documentation Services Board, Sri Lanka
Upali Amarasiri
Director General
National Library and Documentation Centre and
National library and Documentation Services Board, Sri Lanka
