Sri Lanka Library Association National Seminar NETELIS 2003 26' 06' 2003 Sri Lanka Newspaper Article

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Sri Lanka Library Association National Seminar
NETELIS 2003 26. 06. 2003 Sri Lanka
Newspaper Article Index Some observations

• G D Amarasiri,
• Deputy Director,
• National Library and Documentation Centre

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Introduction

• Newspapers
• One of the most important primary research
  sources
• Neglected by the library profession until
  recently
• Not accessible if it is not indexed in some manner

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• First newspaper index was compiled in mid 19th
  century.
• palmer's index to The Times Newspaper articles
  of London - 1867
• carried retrospectively back to 1791
• available in a variety of formats
• traditional book format
• Microfilm
• Online

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Compilation of Sri Lanka Newspaper Article Index

• project was started by the NLDC in 1993
• The preliminary survey
• main newspapers are covered
• Sinhala Dinamina
• Divaina
• Lankadeepa
• Silumina
• Irida Divaina
• Irida Lankadeepa

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• English Island
• Daily News
• Sunday Observer
• Sunday Times
• Sunday Island
• Tamil - Thinakaran - daily and weekly
• Virakasari - daily and weekly

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• Entries are prepared only for the important
  articles
• Entries are prepared according to the Anglo
  American Cataloguing Rules
• Subject classification - Dewey Decimal
  Classification (DDC)
• Printers and Publishers Ordinance 1885
• National Library collection is used

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Following indexes have been compiled

• Newspaper article index 1991 (Sinhala)
• Newspaper article index 1992 (Sinhala)
• Newspaper article index 1993 (Sinhala)
• Newspaper article index 1994 (Sinhala)
• Newspaper article index 2000(1) (Sinhala)
• Newspaper article index 1992 (Tamil)
• Newspaper article index 1993 (Tamil)
• Newspaper article index 1994 (Tamil)
• Newspaper article index 1991 (English)
• Newspaper article index 1992 (English)
• Newspaper article index 1993 (English)
• Newspaper article index 1994 (English)
• Newspaper article index 2000(1) (English)

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Structure

• Main subjects and subsections are given according
  to DDC.
• Entries are arranged in alphabetical order under
  respective sub headings.
• Example Buddhism
• Doctrine
• Kuruppu, Rajah.
• Right speech a cardinal
• Buddhist virtue-
• Pannatissa himi, Hedigalla
• Sixty disciples set out for propagation of Dhamma

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• There are instances where the sub headings are
  categorised according to countries arranged in
  alphabetical order.
• Example political science
• Political condition
• India
• NAYAR, Kuldip
• India's political science

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• There are some article topics which do not give a
  clear understanding about the contents.
• In such occasions, a note explaining the contents
  is included to the entry
• Example WANASUNDARA, Nanda P
• Restoration not renovation.-
• Sunday Times April 25, 1993.-
• 14. P, 1-3 col.
• (Thuparama Dageba)

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Usage

• Widely used by researchers, students and the
  general reader
• Helps to save the time of readers
• Helps to locate more information
• Useful to the library staff as a reference tool

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• Specially useful for academic libraries
• Information is systematically organised
• Articles are classified according to subject areas

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Some observations

• In some articles, name of the same author is
  mentioned different ways
• difficulty in demarcating the academic articles
• compilation of the index as databases
• make them available online
• simultaneous compilation of retrospective and
  current indexes

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• There should be guidelines/policy regarding the
  selection of articles and other compilation
  activities
• compilation of the index quarterly or biannually
• In addition to the main newspapers, other
  suitable newspapers may also be covered.
• Compilation should go backward from the present
  time
• Involvement of outside professionals and students
  to expedite the compilation

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• Only important articles should be included
• Compilation should be done on daily basis
• Should be connected to the web
• Separate indexes for different subject areas

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Conclusion

• Great achievement of the NLDC
• Responsibility of the NLDC as a national task
• NLDC intends to further improve this as a
  continuous project
• Creating more awareness is needed
• Creating more interest to acquire for libraries
  is needed