Peradeniya University Library: New six-storied building and library cards for journalists in Kandy
View(s):The new six storied library Building at the University of Peradeniya, which cost around Rs. 240 million, was opened this week, by the University’s Vice Chancellor Upul B. Dissanayake.
“President Gotabaya Rajapakse intends to produce knowledgeable and skilled graduates, that are required by the employment market. The President has assured his support to convert the state universities into smart learning universities and he has emphasised the importance of self-learning, guided learning and group learning to produce creative, qualified graduates,” the University’s Chief Librarian Rasiah Mahasewaran said.
Vice Chancellor Upul B. Dissasnayake opening the new library. Pix by Shan Senaviratne
Vice Chancellor Upul B. Dissanayake had proposed to issue library cards for journalists in Kandy, so they can access the university’s resources.
“Journalists working in the Kandy District will have access to around eighty five thousand books, five thousand two hundred readable ola leaf books and several private collections housed in this library,” the Vice Chancellor said.
“There is no parallel in this issue of membership cards to journalists, who may not have done degree or even diplomas at the Peradeniya University. Other, more established state universities may not have taken this step,” he added.
Deputy Librarian Chamani Gunasekera said there are 60,000 books in the ‘Ceylon Collection’ housed in the library which date back to the 1670’s. The Ceylon Collection includes monographs, Sri Lankan journals and articles and Government publications.
Some of the other notable collections housed in the library include: the Leslie De Saram Collection, the D.R. Wijewardane Collection, the Ferguson Collection, the W.A. de Silva Collection, the Richard Abeysekara Collection, the Prof. M.D. Rathnasooriya Collection and the Hettiarachchi Collection. The library also possesses the second largest collection of ola leaf manuscripts in the country, with more than 6,000 items. - L.B. Senaratne
