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4. Library development and advisory service

LIBRARY DEVELOPMENT AND ADVISORY SERVICE

• Professional advice on library buildings
• Provide library building plans upon requests
• Advice on designing and interior planning of library buildings
• Visit libraries and provide advice related to library buildings upon requests made by libraries


• Professional advice on library furniture and equipment. Requests for furniture specifications


• Advice and assists in organizing of library material and collection development


• Organizing of library services


• Advice on applying Information Technology (IT) to libraries


• Formulating of library standards

NLDSB deals with preparing and updating standards for public, school, departmental and special libraries in the country.

• Evaluation and grading of libraries

According to the standards, the NLDSB evaluate and grade the libraries into Supra, Grade I, Grade II and Grade III. This helps relevant authorities to upgrade their libraries, their librarians and also to fill their cadre vacancies.

Public Library Grading Registry
Library Grading Application (Sinhala)
• Donation of books to libraries

Donating books to local libraries is yet another important function of the NLDSB. Local books are donated to needy public, school, departmental, pirivena and some special libraries.

• Registration of domestic and other libraries

A programme is implemented to register the domestic and other institution libraries which are maintained in informal level with the objective of developing these libraries.

Objectives

• Formalize the libraries maintained by professionals in personal level and voluntary organizations and provide a quality service to the readers.
• Creation of a knowledge society through the promotion of reading habits.
• Providing training and guidance for a quality library service.
• Bring the reading promotion to an advanced status in regional level.


• Development of rural libraries

This programme is implemented annually with the objective of developing underprivileged libraries. Under this programme books, library stationaries and furniture are donated to selected libraries.

• Conducting reading promotion programmes

The extension services division of the NLDSB conducts reading promotion programmes in selected less-privileged schools and these schools too receive book donations in addition to talk by children’s authors. These events are organized in the schools by the NLDSB.

• Mounting of book exhibitions

NLDSB organizes and conducts book exhibitions at the National Library and Documentation Services Board and in other provinces and also participate at the international book fairs and other book fairs in the country. Special discounts are given in these book exhibitions and a number of public and school libraries benefit annually from these exhibitions.

• Celebrating of international and national days and months

Celebrating international and national days and months pertaining to the field of library and information science. Extension services division currently co-ordinate functions to celebrate the following.

• National Reading Month Project

The National Reading Month was declared in the year 2004. National Library and Documentation Services Board together with the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and National Heritage declared the month of October as “National Reading Month”. Main objectives of this project are,

• To give publicity to the published books among people
• Encourage/ motivate people to read books



Under this project NLDSB implement the following activities.

• Create awareness among libraries about the National Reading Month
• Evaluate the libraries those who promote reading programmes at regional level
• Organizes seminars, reading camps, competitions relevant to National Reading Month
• Organize the National Ceremony on National Reading Month
• Publication of the National Reading Month souvenir


• National Library Bookshop

The National Library publications and publications of others are sold at reasonable price by the bookshop of the National Library. Special discounts are given to libraries in their purchases. In addition to books library stationary such as catalogue cards, book labels, book cards, accession registers and pamphlet boxes are also available in the bookshop.