ht. Libr. Rev. (1989) 21, 67-72

Library Education in Sri Lanka JAYASIRI LANKAGE*

INTRODUCTION

Sri Lanka is an island in the Indian Ocean lying between 5”55’ and 9”51’ latitude and 79”41’ and 81”53’ longitude. It covers a total area of 25 332 square miles and has a population of 14 million. The literacy rate is 87%, and education is free from kindergarten to University.

The recorded history of Sri Lanka begins with the coming of Aryan colonists from Northern India in about 543 B.C. The introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka during the 3rd Century B.C. helped the growth and development of Sinhala culture and society. Buddhism also con- tributed to the development of the Sinhala language, writing, art and architecture. Early written records in Sri Lanka have been associated with Buddhism, and Buddhist monasteries became seats of learning. Libraries existed in these monasteries from a very early time. These temple libraries were a type of reference library and resources were carefully guarded and made available to only serious scholars.

Although most of the manuscripts, which were written on palm leaf (Pus-kola Pot), h ave perished due to various destructive elements, the tradition oflearning has continued down the ages. This library situation has been correctly reported by Harold V. Bonny, UNESCO Expert, who arrived here in 1960. Having gathered background material for his report, he stated:

Librarianship in Ceylon is indigenous. It is not something to be implanted from abroad; it already exists by tradition in (your) temples with the ola manuscripts and most definitely in the minds, and wishes of the people today.’

THE IMPACT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

The modern educational system is a product of British rule. State schools were established in order to equip local people to fill government posts. The Ceylon University College, affiliated to the University of London, was set up in 192 1 as a result of the agitation and demand for higher education in the country. The University of Ceylon was set up

* Librarian and Head OfDepartment, Library and Information Science, University ofKelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka.

’ Bonny, Harold V. (1960). Library Stice for Ceylon Colombo, p. 4. Dept. Cultural Affairs.

002&7837/89/010067+06 $03.00/O 0 1989 Academic Press Limited

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in 1942 in Colombo and moved to Peradeniya in 1952. Vidyodaya and Vidyalankara Universities were established in 1959. It was through these institutes of higher education that the need for professionally trained librarians arose.

During the period 1950-60, various ad hoc attempts were made by institutions such as the Ceylon Institute of Scientific Research, the Ceylon Technical College, and the Colombo Public Library to organize training programmes.

LIBRARY EDUCATION IN SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka Library Association Formal library education in Sri Lanka began in 1961 with the intro- duction of part-time courses run by the Sri Lanka Library Association. The British pattern of library education has helped in shaping the Association’s courses. The courses are arranged into three levels: First, Intermediate, and Final Examination courses. Table I illustrates the development of the training programme of the Association.

The development offormal library education in Sri Lanka

Year of Commencement Course

1961 First 1963 First 1966 Intermediate 1967 First 1970 First 1970 Intermediate 1972 Intermediate 1972 First 1973 Final

Ccntre

Colombo Kandy & Jaffna

Colombo Colombo & Kandy

Galle Colombo & Kandy

Galle Jaffna

Colomho

Language

English English English Sinhala Sinhala Sinhala Sinhala ‘I’amil

English & Sinhala

The University of Kelaniya The Department of Library Science of the University of Kelaniya introduced a three-tier part-time course in Library Science in 1976. The language of instruction is Sinhala. The three courses are: (i) the Certificate Course in Library Science Part One; (ii) the Certificate Course in Library Science Part Two; and (iii) the Advanced Certificate Course in Library Science and Documentation. In 1984 the Certificate Course Parts One and Two were reorganized into a Diploma Course.

LIBRARY EDUCATION IN SRI LANKA

The University of Colombo

69

The University of Colombo with the assistance of the Faculty of Science introduced a part-time one-year Diploma in Library and Information Science in 1982. The language of instruction is English.

Sri Lanka National Library Services Board The Sri Lanka National Library Services Board commenced a cor- respondence course in library service in 1983. The language of instruc- tion is Sinhala.

The University of Ceylon Full-time education for librarianship was started at the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya, in 1961. The syllabus of this diploma closely fol- lowed the diploma of the School of Librarianship, University College, London. This course was terminated in 1965. During the academic years 1961/62, 1962/63 and 1964/65, 10 students obtained the Diploma in Librarianship.

Junior University Colleges The second attempt to introduce full-time library education was in 1969, when two Junior University Colleges, Dehiwala and Palalai, organized a two-year diploma course. The course was conducted in the Sinhala and Tamil languages. Thirty-one students obtained the Diploma before the course was suspended in 1970.

The University of Kelaniya The University of Kelaniya instituted the Department of Library Science in 1973. The following full-time courses are offered by this department.

B.A. in Library Science as one of the three subjects for the Bachelor of Arts General degree ( 1973-) .

Dip. Lib. Post-graduate Academic Diploma in Library and Infor- mation Studies (1974).

B.A.-Special Degree in Library and Information Science and Archival Science ( 1979-) .

MLS-Master’s Degree in Library Science (due to commence shortly). This degree is by research and of one-year duration after the completion of the Postgraduate Diploma. There is also provision for candidates to update their knowledge by offering course modules such as library automation, media librarianship and management.

70 J. LANKAGE

THE SYSTEM OF LIBRARY EDUCATION

The rigid system of library education for librarianship introduced by all the courses has remained the same for the last two decades. The syllabus of the courses was geared to meet the general requirements of all kinds of libraries.

The Final Examination of the Library Association Syllabus intro- duced in 1973 consists of a wide range of specialized papers. They were offered only occasionally due to lack of teachers and insufficient number of applicants.

An attempt by the Department of Library Science Kelaniya in 1976 to introduce specialized courses in Special, Public and School Library Services at certificate level failed due to insufficient number of appli- cants at that time. The Postgraduate Diploma Course in Library and Information Studies was revised in 1985 to provide for different types of target groups. Modular design was adopted, and core subjects and optional subjects are introduced.

STRUCTURE AND CONTENT OF THE FULL-TIME COURSES

Library Science as a subject is offered after first year university education. During their first year, students will be required to follow three general courses in order to acquire a wide general knowledge which is essential as background for the studies of librarianship.

In the case of a special degree in Library Science, students are further allowed to continue their study in a subject as a subsidiary for another two years. The aim of this subject study is the production of librarians with additional subject knowledge.

Degree programme Section A: Libraries, librarianship and historical bibliography. Section B: Library materials, acquisition, processing and care. Section C: Library materials and bibliographic organization. Section D: Library materials, uses and services.

Sfecial degree programme Section 20 1: Libraries and librarianship. Section 202: Organization and administration of libraries. Section 203: Archival science (I) or subsidiary subject paper (I). Section 30 1: Bibliography reference and information services. Section 302: Organization of knowledge. Section 303: Library services. Section 304: Archival science (II) or subsidiary subject paper (II).

LIBRARY EDUCATION IN SRI LANKA 71

Section 40 1: Classification and cataloguing theory. Section 402: Practical classification and cataloguing. Section 403: Information science and documentation. Section 404: Literature survey and bibliography. Section 405: Technical English.

Post-graduate diploma Given below is the revised syllabus which has been in operation since 1986. The duration of the course is one year full time, or two years part time. All students are required to take the core subjects and six optional subjects.

Core subjects. (i) M ana g ement and organization of libraries. (ii) Infor- mation services and organizations. (iii) Information retrieval.

Optional subjects. (i) History of libraries. (ii) Public library services. (iii) Special library services. (iv) School library services. (v) Health library and information services. (vi) Communication and mass media. (vii) Audio visual studies for libraries. (viii) Publishing, book trade and libraries. (ix) Library automation. (x) Serial publications. (xi) Literature and libraries for children and young people. (xii) Archival administration and records management.

Master of Library Science The duration of the course is one year full time or two years part time. The course contents are: (i) Research methods; (ii) Management of libraries; (iii) Media librarianship; and (iv) Project (dissertation).

FACULTY AND FACILITIES

A full-time system of education has been accepted by the majority as the standard method of training librarians. The Department of Library Science now has a full-time faculty of three lecturers and operates the courses with the help of a large number of visiting lecturers.

The Department of Library Science is now housed in the Science faculty building. The space available is inadequate. The library facili- ties and equipment are also below the recommended standards for library schools. Libraries cannot develop unless they are managed by qualified professionals. The type and level of training required will depend upon the type of libraries and the category of jobs. Therefore, a manpower-needs assessment is a prerequisite to library education development. At present there are no reliable statistics on the manpower

72 J. LANKAGE

needs of the profession. As a result there is the danger of the multi- plication of new programmes by various institutions.

THE INSTITUTE OF LIBRARY SCIENCE

UNESCO assistance has been sought to develop the Department of Library Science to an Institute of Library Science under the UNESCO participation in the activities of member states. This proposal has been accepted by the University Grants Commission and Ministry of Higher Education and submitted to UNESCO.’

A Fulbright professor from the University of Maryland is working in the University ofKelaniya assisting in this venture. The British Council has also agreed to supply an expert in Library and Information Science from Britain to support the library education programme at the Uni- versity of Kelaniya.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Block, S. C. (1959). Diploma in Librarianship. Peradeniya, 5 August, 1959. Bonny, H. V. (1960). Library Servicefor Ceylon. Ceylon: Department of Cultural AfIairs. Evans, Evelyn J. (1969). School Libraries in Ceylon. UNESCO Bulletin for Libraries Vol.

XXIII, No. 6, pp. 287-292. Paris: UNESCO. Khursbid, Anis (1970). Library Education in South Asia. Libri 20, 59-79. Mahalingam, V. (1962). Education for Librarianship. Journal of the Ceylon Library

Association J, 4143. Neelemeghan, A. (1968). Ceylon. Free Book Service for All (S. R. Ranganathan et al.,

eds), p. 222. Bangalore: Mysore Library Association. UNESCO (1968). Meeting of Experts on the National Planning of Library Service in

Asia, Colombo, Ceylon, 11-19 December 1967. Final Report, p. 23 Appendix. Paris: UNESCO

UNESCO (1967). Ibid. Main Working Document, p. 41 Appendix. Paris: UNESCO.

’ Higher Eduction News 3, ( 1986) 1.