Colombo Public Library
Colombo Public Library is the largest public library in Sri Lanka, located in Colombo 07, Sri Lanka.
History
The first public library in the country was the United Service Library, which was established in 1813. It was used exclusively by civil and military officers of the Government stationed in Colombo and was housed in a building opposite the Queen's House, on Janadhipathi Mawatha. In 1829, the Vurghers opened the 'Colombo Pettah Library' in Pettah. On 1 October 1924, E. W. Jayawardena moved a resolution at the Colombo Municipal Council to establish the Colombo Library. The Colonial Secretary, Sir Cecil Clementi, called a meeting of subscribers of both libraries, and they agreed to hand over their books to the new library, which was to be run as a department of the Colombo Council.The Colombo Library was opened on 10 August 1925 in a mansion, 'Sirinivasa', built by Mudaliyar Simon Fernando Sri Chandrasekera, on Sir Marcus Fernando Mawatha. At its formation, the library had three departments, the Reading Room, the Lending Room and the Reference Library. It had approximately 16,000 books, 94 members and seven staff, with S. C. Blok as the first principal librarian. In 1980 the library was relocated to a newly constructed building adjoining Viharamahadevi Park.
Timeline
- In 2016, the library was fully automated with Koha FOSS Library Management Library System with the advice of the Open University of Sri Lanka.
- In 2017, the Digital Libraries Project was launched at the library by the Information Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka in collaboration with National Library and Documentation Services Board. In March 2019, the Colombo Digital Library officially launched.
- In 2020, the library system was upgraded to the latest versions under the guidance with the Open University of Sri Lanka.
Branches
- Kirulapone Library
- Mihindu Mawatha Library
- Elliot Place Library
- Kettarama Library
- Mattakkuliya
- Gunasinghe Park Little Library
- Kotahena Library
- Sri Sucharitha Library
- Peterson Lane Library
- Belmont Street Library
- Henry Pediris Children's Library
- Bonavista Library
- Eli House Park Library