Sri Lankan Libraries Call for Assistance
03-01-2005 (Paris)
“A large number of school libraries, community libraries, children libraries, public libraries, libraries belonging to religious institutions… have either been completely destroyed or severely affected” says W. A. Abeysinghe, Chairman of the Sri Lankan National Library and Documentation Boards (NLDSB) in an appeal for help published by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) today.
The full text of the appeal reads as follows:
Sri Lanka plunged into crisis as giant tidal waves lashed the southern, northern, and eastern coasts of the country causing over 12000 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 everything 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 and especially from the IFLA members 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 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.
For further details please contact:
Upali Amarasiri,
Director General,
National Library and Documentation Services Board (NLDSB),
14, Independence Avenue,
Colombo 7.
Sri Lanka.
Website http://www.natlib.lk or http://www.lankapage.com
E-mail: dg@mail.natlib.lk
Tel. +94 11 2687581
Fax: +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”
Sri Lanka plunged into crisis as giant tidal waves lashed the southern, northern, and eastern coasts of the country causing over 12000 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 everything 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 and especially from the IFLA members 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 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.
For further details please contact:
Upali Amarasiri,
Director General,
National Library and Documentation Services Board (NLDSB),
14, Independence Avenue,
Colombo 7.
Sri Lanka.
Website http://www.natlib.lk or http://www.lankapage.com
E-mail: dg@mail.natlib.lk
Tel. +94 11 2687581
Fax: +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”
Related themes/countries
· Tsunami in South Asia
· Sri Lanka: News Archive 2005
· Asia and the Pacific: News Archive 2005
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Contact information
- NLDSB/IFLA/UNESCO
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