Get expert advice before a national treasure turns into a national disaster

As a former senior officer of the National Library Documentation and Services Board (NLDSB) in the 1980s and 1990s, I am disheartened to learn of the present ill-fated renovation project of the National Library. The main functions of a national library are to preserve the publications of the country for future generations. It is thus vitally important to protect the published materials whether those are in paper, audiovisual, digital or traditional palm-leaf formats in an appropriate manner.

The removal of the interior protected area – an integrated part of every national library – is unimaginable.

Some good examples are the British Library, the US Library of Congress, Australian, Singapore and Indian National Libraries.

As the world body preserving human culture, UNESCO has taken a great interest in National Libraries since 1946. It has organised several conferences in this regard and in 1967, the Asia Regional National Library Conference held in Colombo paved the way for the enactment of the Ceylon National Library Services Board Act in 1970.

Since then UNESCO has been contributing to different aspects of library services with IFLA (the International Federation of Library Associations) and in designing the National Library building, training of staff etc.

My advice here is to appoint a committee comprising an architect, senior librarian and an expert in conservation and preservation of library materials to make recommendations on how to proceed. The NLDSB management should not proceed further without the necessary professional advice.

Perhaps getting an expert from UNESCO through the Sri Lanka National Commission of UNESCO is a worthwhile effort.

Nalini Wijenayake (Former Chief LibrarianCentral Bank of Sri Lanka)