dc.identifier.citation |
Piyarathana Thero, Rev. Legumdeniye(2020)Role and Importance of public libraries in sharing the cooperative activity of managing indigenous knowledge with special reference to Sri Lanka: A framework for the advancement,02nd International Conference for Academic Discipline, 16th – 20th March 2020, University of Nevada, Las Vegas |
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dc.description.abstract |
Indigenous Knowledge (lK) is the knowledge, experience derived and existed upon for the
wellbeing of a parlicular community or culture, and its special characteristics are the
sustainability, envirorutrental friendliness and the practical validity. Indigenous knowledge
contained in palm leaf manuscripts, with aural traditions, practices, belief systems, printed and
non-printed sources, folk norms and virlues. It is diverse in the areas of religion, indigenous
medicine, myths, agriculture and farming, language and literatute, alt and crafts, rite and rituals.
The principal objective of this paper is to study the role and importance of public libraries in
sharing the cooperative activity of managing indigenous knowledge with special reference to Sri
Lall<a and to suggest a framework the advancement of this subject. Managing indigenous
klowledge is a cumbersome and multiparty task which need more cooperation within the
stakeholder communities like the government, ministries, universities, relevant government and
private organizations, expert persons, bureaucrats, policy makers and policy planers, the
communities involving IK, educational establishments. Howevel, the libraries specially the
public libraries can be a stakeholder in the sense of managing IK particularly the selection,
iollection, organization, packaging and the dissemination of information. In this respect, public
libraries have a leading role to play and to serve as the center of excellence of sharing a
cooperative role in managing IK.
Method used was a mix approach with participatory observation, literature review, and expert
group discussions. IK is not available island wide. It is located in cerlain places in the country.
Since there is a good public libraly system in Sri Lanka, it is much suitable if the librarians in
concerned libraries where IK is situated amply can involve with managing IK with otlier'
stakeholders. The concerned Public Librarians can identify the type of IKs available and should
take the direct and indirect support from the Municipal Councils, Urban Councils and Pradeshiya
Sabha's. The Library development Committee and the Readers' Club or Society can play a
leading role in this context, With the support of Grarna Sevaka Niladharis and Community
Developmelt Officers the Librarians can do a very cooperative role in this context. It is much
better to identify what are the most essential and fitting type of IK for the region at first and
secondarily the other types of II(s.
In this respect, the Librarians can maintain a list of IKs in the area, list of local IK owned persons
like indigenous medicinal practioners and, so on, The possible fi'amework should consist with the
Natiolal Library of Sri Lanka Q\LS), relevant ministries, govemment and NGOs all concerned
public libraries. The NLS should be the central coordinating agency of this framework. |
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