Abstract:
The significance of information is increasing in Sri Lanka as a consequence of three development
initiatives; the government is implementing many development projects in the rural sector with the
objective of poverty reduction which in turn gives rise to a diversity of information needs, there are also
numerous development initiatives in the service sector which raises the value of information as a
commodity, in the education sector a growing emphasis is laid on resource-based independent learning
which requires a highly developed library and information service in the education sector.
Under these circumstances the library and information sector of Sri Lanka has an important social
responsibility to satisfy the growing information needs of the Sri Lankan citizens. “The library’s role is to
inform, entertain, enlighten, educate, empower and equip individuals and communities with tools
enabling better life orientation, enabling communities to reorganise their social roles both knowingly
and responsibly” (Ocholla, 2006 p.19). In the light of these developments, education for the library and
information professionals needs the careful attention of the LIS educators, policy makers, employers
and practitioners. This paper provides a retrospective analysis of the LIS education evolved in Sri Lanka
throughout the last fifty years.
