Study on State of the Modern Technology used in Preservation of Palm Leaf Manuscripts in Sri Lanka

Abstract

The extensive horde of palm leaf manuscripts are heir and could be considered as the prime storage of indigenous intangible knowledge which has been fostering for more than hundred decades.Though they were live source of knowledge in early years, most of palm leaf manuscripts today are not in use and subject to deterioration. The Palm Leaf Manuscripts Study and Research Library in the University of Kelaniya, which has been established with the objective of preservation of existing palm leaf manuscripts has been functioning since 2009. The prime objective of this research is to study on the state of the modern technology used by the Palm Leaf Manuscripts Study and Research Library in University of Kelaniya for the preservation of palm leaf manuscripts which contain indigenousknowledge. The study methods used were field study and observation. The preliminary method for storage and retrieval of palm leaf manuscripts available with temples and private owners in Sri Lanka by the Palm Leaf Manuscripts Study and Research Library. The digitization before that, it is compulsory to preserve them using traditional preservation methods and the digitized copies will be subject to library technology process. After the classification and catalogingprocess is over, the data will be uploaded to and maintained by the open source software named ‘D-Space’ used by the Palm Leaf Manuscripts Study and Research Library. This procedure facilitates to researchers to use the collection owned by the Palm Leaf Manuscripts Study and Research Library through internet online. The Palm Leaf Manuscripts Study and Research Library of University of Kelaniya is the only institute in Sri Lanka which provides facility of this nature for studyingon palm leaf manuscripts via online.