Abstract:
Palm leaf manuscripts are one of the vital types of documents
containing the indigenous knowledge of Sri Lanka. Treated and
seasoned Palmyra leaf was widely used for writing before paper
was utilized as writing material. Ancient people were not hesitant
to write down their wealth of local knowledge in these palm leaf
manuscripts. Today, there is a threat of extinction for the palm leaf
manuscripts. The Library, University of Sri Jayewardenepura has
launched a project on the Preservation and Conservation of Palm
leaf manuscripts to address this issue. This gigantic task is
important in preserving indigenous knowledge for future
generations. The project began by collecting and physically
conserving the palm leaf manuscripts scattered throughout Sri
Lanka. In parallel to the project, we established the Preservation
and Conservation unit at the library, intending to preserve rare
books in addition to the palm leaf manuscripts. We applied
established conservation methods according to the defect type
found in manuscripts. After conservation, preservation techniques
that suit the local environmental conditions were used. Finally, we
digitized the complete set of manuscripts where researchers are
allowed to use them according to the established policy.
