Act of Libraries and Library Development of Sri Lanka.

A preliminary discussion was held on the proposal to pass an “Act of Libraries and Library Development of Sri Lanka.” The objective of this initiative is to obtain formal recognition from the Government of Sri Lanka—through an enactment approved by Parliament—that libraries and their services are essential components of the country’s overall development process.
This initiative was spearheaded by Senior Professor M. K. Weerasinghe, attached to the Department of Library and Information Science, University of Kelaniya, with the support of Professor Prithibha Mahanama from Sripali Campus, University of Colombo, and Professor Sampath, attached to the Faculty of Law, University of Colombo. The negotiation process was carried out by Dr. Wathsala Athukorala, Librarian of Sripali Campus, under the guidance of Professor Eric Steinhauer of the University of Hagen, Germany.
The preliminary discussion followed an insightful talk delivered by Professor Eric Steinhauer, organized by the National Library and Documentation Services Board (NLDSB). The event took place on 29th October 2025 at the National Library Conference Hall, Colombo.
The event was graced by several distinguished participants, including Dr. Rathnasiri Wijesinghe, Chairman of the NLDSB; Mr. Sunil, Director of the National Library; Dr. Priyanwada Wanigasuriya, Head of the Department of Library and Information Science, University of Kelaniya; the Librarian of the University of Kelaniya; the Librarian of the Colombo Public Library; Professor Ruwan Gamage; and many other professionals in the field of Library and Information Science.