Developing a programme to educate archivists in Sri Lanka

This study investigates the possibilities of educating and training archivists in Sri Lanka. It aims to determine the viability of educating archivists and to propose the location, requirements, and curriculum suitable to the Sri Lankan circumstance. The first part of the study examines aspects of the Sri Lankan context that affect the question of archival education, in particular the constitutional and political evolution of the country, the history of its archives and their preservation and treatment, together with an account of past education and training of archivists and records personnel. It then synthesizes the international literature on archival education in order to see the various patterns of education which have emerged the world over in order to reflect on the best model for Sri Lanka. Although aspects of several different patterns are applicable to the Sri Lankan situation, it is proposed a programme of studies in purely professional areas should be located in a Sri Lankan university, in a manner more and more becoming the norm the world over. This literature also identifies certain issues of location in the university and related to the curriculum which are addressed in later chapters. The next two chapters support the idea of establishing a diploma prograirane at the post-graduate level lasting one year and located in conjunction with library and information studies. The particular requirements of Sri Lanka are taken into account, but international trends and standards are also observed. The study concludes that it is both possible and desirable to take a gradualist approach by first building a diploma program of purely professional courses to educate archivists and records personnel for both public and private employment in the Sri Lankan context.Arts, Faculty ofLibrary, Archival and Information Studies (SLAIS), School ofGraduat