Preservation and Documentation of Intangible Cultural Heritage: the Strategic Role of the Library and Information Science Professionals in Sri Lanka

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to shed light on an area of librarianship which is not often talked about in Sri Lankan context i.e. safeguarding and documentation of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). The objective of this research is to emphasize on the need of a contribution of library profession in the process of safeguarding and documentation of ICH and to identify the strategic role of the Library and Information Science (LIS) Professionals in this regard. Based on descriptive analysis of literatures and current responsibilities of LIS professionals in Sri Lanka, this study outlines the need of national awareness on this topic through the identified new roles of LIS professionals. This study further emphasizes on the contribution of the national scheme for safeguarding and documentation of ICH in Sri Lanka based on international recommendations with the continuous support of our Library Professionals and National Library of Sri Lanka. Journal of the University Librarians Association, Sri Lanka, Vol. 17, Issue 1, January 2013, Page 58-65 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/jula.v17i1.6644