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Central Agricultural Library
Department of Agriculture
About the Central Agricultural Library
The Central Agricultural Library, located at Gannoruwa under the Department of Agriculture, is regarded as one of the oldest libraries serving the agricultural sector in Sri Lanka.
The history of the library dates back to 1810, when the Botanical Gardens were established at Kew Gardens in Slave Island, Colombo. One of the earliest donations received by the library was a collection of books on tropical flora. Alexander Moon, a British national, served as its first librarian. During his tenure, he acquired a considerable number of publications, contributing significantly to the development and expansion of the library's collection.
Over the years, several specialized agricultural libraries, including the Tea Research Institute, Rubber Research Institute, and Coconut Research Institute libraries, as well as libraries associated with organizations such as the Kantale Sugar Corporation, were developed and strengthened through collaborative programmes and support provided by the Central Agricultural Library.
Library Collections and Services
The Central Agricultural Library consists of two major components:
Physical Library
The physical library houses a substantial collection of approximately 75,000 publications, including 1,569 textbooks and reference materials and more than 10,000 additional books and publications.
The library also maintains an extensive collection of more than 40,000 periodical issues covering a wide range of agricultural disciplines, including:
- Agricultural Sciences
- Genetics and Plant Breeding
- Soil Science and Plant Nutrition
- Plant Pathology
- Entomology
- Plant Tissue Culture and Cell Culture
- Postharvest Technology
- Agricultural Economics
- Microbiology
- Crop and Plant Sciences
- Agricultural Technology and Related Fields
These resources support agricultural researchers, academics, students, professionals, policymakers, and other stakeholders in accessing reliable and specialized agricultural information.
Digital Library
The Digital Library enhances access to agricultural information by improving the availability, accessibility, and speed of information delivery to users.
It enables users to access a wide range of information resources anytime and from anywhere, while providing access to multimedia content through a user-friendly interface.
The Digital Library also facilitates:
- Full-text and advanced information searching
- Efficient information retrieval
- Access to digital publications and multimedia resources
- User-friendly browsing and navigation
- Integration and interoperability with other digital libraries and information systems
- Preservation and dissemination of valuable agricultural knowledge
Vision
To support excellence in agricultural research by providing effective and timely information services.
Mission
To build a knowledge-based agricultural society by preserving and providing access to agricultural publications and information resources, while utilizing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to deliver efficient and effective library and information services.
Our Objectives
- To strengthen the library and information services of the Department of Agriculture through the digitization of departmental publications and the implementation of ICT-based information management systems.
- To develop the Central Agricultural Library, operating under the Information and Communication Centre of the Department of Agriculture, as the principal repository of significant agricultural technology and information resources.
- To establish and maintain integrated information systems that provide effective information services and benefits to stakeholders in the agricultural sector.
- To improve the mechanisms for the collection, organization, processing, preservation, retrieval, and dissemination of agricultural information in various formats, including documents, statistical data, digital images, audio-visual materials, videos, and other electronic resources.
- To promote the preservation and long-term accessibility of Sri Lanka's valuable agricultural knowledge and intellectual heritage through digital technologies.
- To facilitate efficient access to agricultural information for researchers, academics, students, agricultural professionals, policymakers, extension officers, and other stakeholders. Knowledge for Agriculture, Growth for the Nation Empowering Agriculture Through Knowledge