Colombo Public Library

Colombo Public Library Colombo Public Library Colombo Public Library

The beginnings of what is known as the Colombo Public Library were in 1925 when the Colombo free library was opened on August 10. It was on a resolution moved in the Municipal Council by E. W. Jayawardena that the library was established. There were two libraries at the time, namely the Colombo Library and the Pettah Library. The Colonial Secretary at the time, Sir Cecil Clementi called a meeting of subscribers to both libraries and it was agreed to hand over their books to the new library which was to be run as a department of the Municipal Council.

By that time, the Colombo Library had been in existence for over a century, having been founded in 1813. Called 'The United Service Library' it was exclusively for the use of civil and military officers of the Government stationed in Colombo and was housed in a building opposite the Queen's House (presently the President's House). A few years later the Burghers of Colombo opened a library in Pettah and called it the 'Colombo Pettah Library.' Pettah was the residential area of the Burghers who moved over from Fort when it became too busy and noisy.

The Public Library was housed in one of the oldest mansions called 'Sirinivasa,' in Edinburgh Crescent owned by Mudaliyar Sri Chandrasekera for 55 years, until a more spacious building was constructed at the present site at Vihara Maha Devi Park. The earlier building is now the official residence of the Mayor of Colombo.

The Colombo Museum Library was also one of the early libraries in the city. The founder of the Museum, Governor Sir William Gregory (1872–77) was instrumental in promoting the Museum library too and ordered many works of reference on natural history and oriental literature. These along with the library of the Royal Asiatic Society Ceylon Branch, which was housed in the Museum, formed a valuable reference library particularly for research students.

Colombo Public Library Colombo Public Library Colombo Public Library

Om Colombo-distriktet

Colombo er Sri Lankas største by og handelshovedstad. Den ligger på øens vestkyst og støder op til Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, Sri Lankas hovedstad. Colombo er en travl og pulserende by med en blanding af moderne liv og koloniale bygninger og ruiner og en bybefolkning på 647.100. Colombo Metropolitan Region, defineret af distrikterne Colombo, Gampaha og Kalutara, har en anslået befolkning på 5.648.000 og dækker et areal på 3.694,20 km². Colombo er en multietnisk, multikulturel by. Det er den mest folkerige by i Sri Lanka med 642.163 mennesker, der bor inden for bygrænsen. Befolkningen i Colombo er en blanding af adskillige etniske grupper, primært singalesere, maurere og tamiler. Der er også små samfund af mennesker med kinesisk, portugisisk, hollandsk, malaysisk og indisk oprindelse, der bor i byen, samt adskillige europæiske udlændinge. Langt de fleste srilankanske virksomheder har deres hovedkontorer i Colombo. Nogle af industrierne omfatter kemikalier, tekstiler, glas, cement, lædervarer, møbler og smykker. I byens centrum ligger Sydasiens næsthøjeste bygning - World Trade Center.

Om Vestprovinsen

Vestprovinsen er den tættest befolkede provins i Sri Lanka. Den er hjemsted for den lovgivende hovedstad Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte samt Colombo, landets administrative og forretningsmæssige centrum. Vestprovinsen er opdelt i 3 hoveddistrikter kaldet Colombo (642 km²), Gampaha (1.386,6 km²) og Kalutara (1.606 km²). Som Sri Lankas økonomiske centrum er alle de store lokale og internationale virksomheder til stede i byen, ligesom alle de store designer- og detailhandlere, så vær klar til at forkæle dig selv med lidt shoppingterapi i den vestlige provins. Med den højeste befolkning i alle provinser er næsten alle de førende uddannelsesinstitutioner på øen placeret i den vestlige provins. Universiteterne i provinsen omfatter University of Colombo, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, University of Kelaniya, Open University, Sri Lanka, Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University og University of Moratuwa. Den vestlige provins har det største antal skoler i landet, herunder nationale, provinsielle, private og internationale skoler.

Lakpura®-tjenester