National Library and Documentation Services Board Act, No. 51 of 1998
This Act provides the statutory framework for the establishment, management, and financing of the National Library in Sri Lanka. It replaced the earlier Sri Lanka National Library Services Board Act, No. 17 of 1970, rebranding the Board to include "Documentation Services" and vastly expanding its powers. The Act comprises 34 sections across 6 parts.
Official text: natlib.lk (PDF) — hosted directly by the National Library of Sri Lanka.
The Act is sometimes cited as "No. 51 of 1988" — this is a typographical error. The official designation in all government gazettes is No. 51 of 1998.
Act Structure
The Act is organised into six distinct parts:
| Part | Sections | Key Provisions |
|---|---|---|
| I — Board | 2-11 | Establishment of NLDSB as body corporate, constitution, functions, powers, Chairman, committees, meetings, quorum |
| II — Centre | 12 | Establishment of the physical National Library and Documentation Centre in Colombo |
| III — Staff | 13-18 | Director-General appointment, staff selection, delegation of powers, official seal |
| IV — Finance | 19-22 | Initial capital, Board Fund, financial year, audit requirements |
| V — General | 23-30 | Ministerial powers, State land provision, annual report, Bribery Act scheduling, public servant classification, regulations |
| VI — Repeal | 31-34 | Repeal of 1970 Act, transitional provisions, linguistic supremacy, interpretation |
Statutory Bodies
The Act establishes a body corporate (the Board), a physical institution (the Centre), and a principal executive (the Director-General).
The Act gives the Minister the power to appoint six Board members (Section 3), but does not legally mandate that any of them be library professionals. This has been identified by the SLLA as a key deficiency requiring amendment.
Key Provisions
Establishment as Body Corporate (Section 2)
The NLDSB is established as a body corporate with perpetual succession — it can:
- Sue and be sued in its own name
- Own property and enter contracts
- Operate independently with its own Fund and staff
Functions of the Board (Section 4)
The Board has a broad mandate spanning:
| Function | Description |
|---|---|
| Needs assessment | Assess the need for library/documentation services nationwide |
| Centre management | Administer the National Library and Documentation Centre |
| Policy advice | Advise the Minister on library development plans |
| Standards | Formulate national library standards |
| Research | Initiate research into library science and documentation |
| Reading promotion | Promote reading habits nationwide |
The Act lists 34 sections covering "Functions" and "Powers" but omits a clear, overarching legal "Objective" for the Board. This has been identified as a structural gap by the SLLA revision project.
The National Library Centre (Section 12)
Section 12 establishes the physical National Library and Documentation Centre in Colombo, placing it under the direct management and control of the Board. Located at No. 14, Independence Avenue, Colombo 07.
Director-General (Section 13)
The Board appoints a Director-General who serves as:
- Principal Executive Officer of the Board
- Secretary to the Board (attending and servicing Board meetings)
The Board may delegate any of its powers to the Director-General under Section 17.
Finance (Sections 19-22)
| Provision | Section | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Initial capital | 19 | Working capital provided to the Board by the State |
| Board Fund | 20 | All revenues deposited and expenditures withdrawn from a dedicated Fund |
| Financial year | 21 | Defined fiscal year for accounting |
| Audit | 22 | Accounts subject to rigorous auditing protocols |
Legal Protections (Sections 26-28)
- Bribery Act (Section 26): The Board is classified as a scheduled institution under the Bribery Act
- Public servants (Section 27): Board members and staff are explicitly deemed "public servants" under the Penal Code
- Good faith protection (Section 28): Officers protected from personal liability for actions taken in good faith
Ministerial Powers (Section 23)
The Minister of Education retains overriding powers in relation to the Board's directives, ensuring ultimate government control over library policy.
Amendment History
The Act has never been amended since its enactment in 1998. The 34 sections passed by Parliament over 25 years ago remain the exact legal framework today — a remarkably stable piece of legislation.
Predecessor: Act No. 17 of 1970
The 1970 Act established the original "National Library Services Board" and operated for 28 years before being fully repealed by Section 31 of the 1998 Act. All assets, liabilities, and ongoing initiatives were transitioned to the new Board under Section 32.
Amendment Timeline
Current Status & Reform
The Act is undergoing its first major revision since 1998.
The Sri Lanka Library Association (SLLA) and government sub-committees have launched the "Project on Revising the present NLDSB Act". Key deficiencies identified:
- Missing core objectives — The Act lists Functions and Powers but omits a clear legal Objective for the Board
- Board composition flaws — No requirement for library professionals among the six ministerially-appointed members
- Outdated framework — Over 25 years without amendment; does not address digital libraries, online access, or modern information services
No amendment bill has been introduced to Parliament yet.
Cross-References
Bribery Act
The NLDSB is classified as a scheduled institution under the Bribery Act (Section 26), subjecting Board members and staff to anti-corruption provisions.
Penal Code
Board members and staff are explicitly classified as "public servants" under the Penal Code (Section 27), extending criminal liability for official misconduct.
Sri Lanka National Library Services Board Act, No. 17 of 1970
The predecessor act, fully repealed by Section 31. Transitional provisions in Section 32 ensured continuity of assets, staff, and ongoing projects.
Entity Relationships & Governance
Governance Hierarchy (1952 Design)
Current Replacement Structure (Post-1989)
Data Confidence
Research Gaps
The following areas require further investigation:
- Current Board membership: Names, professional backgrounds, and whether any members have library/information science qualifications
- Working committees: Which committees have been constituted under Section 8 and their current mandates
- Regulations: Whether the Minister has made regulations under Section 29, and their content
- Internal rules: Whether the Board has made rules under Section 30
- State land: Whether any State land has been made available under Section 24 beyond the Independence Avenue premises
- Annual reports: Availability and content of recent annual reports submitted under Section 25
- SLLA revision progress: Current drafting status and expected timeline for the proposed amendment
- Digital services: Whether the Board has interpreted its mandate to cover digital/online library services
- Collection statistics: Size and composition of the national collection
- 1970 Act text: Full text of the repealed predecessor act for comparative analysis