NATIONAL LIBRARY AND DOCUMENTATION SERVICES BOARD
NATIONAL LIBRARY AND DOCUMENTATION SERVICES BOARD
The Memory of the World Programme is a major project of UNESCO to preserve the documentary heritage of the world. The Programme was started in 1992 as a remedial measure to the crisis faced by many archives and libraries.
Sri Lanka has a history of rich documentary heritage from 3rd B.C. It is conjectured that the earlier writings other than those indicted on stone were of Talipot and Palmyra leaves. Thousands of palm leaf manuscripts in various aspects are hosed in ancient temples. In 1551 1st book was printed by Dutch in Sri Lanka. The 1st gazette was printed in 1802 and the 1st newspaper was printed in 1832 and the 1st cine film was produced in 1984.
In the ancient period, information was recorded on stone, metal and palm leaves, whereas paper and other multimedia is now being used for the same purpose. Documentary Heritage in Sri Lanka is housed in many institutions such as National Archives, National Museums University of Peradeniya, National Library and Documentation Services Board and individual owners.
The Memory of the World Programme has two main aims. They are to preserve the documentary heritage of the world and to improve access to it. The first objective of the Programme is to ensure the preservation, by the most appropriate means, of documentary heritage which has world significance and to encourage the preservation of documentary heritage which has national and regional significance. A twin objective is to make this heritage accessible to as many people as possible, using the most appropriate technologies.
Memory of the World National Committee was appointed on 1st August 2006 as a national level committee. National Library and Documentation Services Board serves as the focal point of the program in Sri Lanka.
The Memory of the World Programme of Sri Lanka aims:
Each register – international, regional or national - is based on criteria for assessing the significance of documentary heritage and assessing whether its influence is global, regional or national. The following criteria are not only used in terms of the international register but also apply (with logical variation) to national register.
When considering documentary heritage for inclusion in the National Register the item will be first assessed against the threshold test of authenticity. Is it what it appears to be? Has its identity and provenance been reliably established?
Secondly, the National Committee must be satisfied that the nominated item is of national, regional or world significance. That is, it must be: unique and irreplaceable, something whose disappearance or deterioration would constitute a harmful impoverishment of the heritage of humanity. It must have created great impact over a span of time or within a particular cultural area of the country or world. It must have had great influence - whether positive or negative – on the course of history.
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| Nomination Form - National Memory of the World Register |  |
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