1. News from the tsunami-affected countries

Sri Lanka Tsunami affected Libraries in Sri Lanka by Upari  Amarasiri, Director General,  National Library and Documentation Services Board  The tsunami tidal wave that hit Sri Lanka on 26 December 2004 destroyed a large proportion of the infrastructure including a number of libraries and information centers located on the coastal belt of the country.   According to available data 178 schools, 57 local government complexes and 52 places of religious worship have either been destroyed or severely damaged.  Four universities and 13 vocational training institutes were also damaged.  Libraries were located in almost all of the affected buildings/institutions.  Besides such libraries a large number of private/home libraries located in the affected areas were also destroyed.  ...Continue The entire library building washed away by tsunami in Baticaloa, Sri Lanka Full text article: http://www.ndl.go.jp/en/publication/cdnlao/052/521a.html Photographs: http://www.ndl.go.jp/en/publication/cdnlao/052/521b.html

Maldives The editorial office of the CDNLAO Newsletter received a letter from the National Library, Male' Republic of Maldives, which tells us that  "several of the local libraries have been severely damaged including some libraries where all collections and materials, furniture, computers, etc. have been damaged and washed away with waves." It also says that the National  Library is still collecting detailed information on all libraries affected by the tsunami disaster.

2. Relief activities of member countries

Korea Korean Library Community,  Supporting Sri Lankan libraries affected by tsunami Since the dreadful tsunami disaster on 26th December 2004, Korean library community has been actively involved in holding a campaign to support the reconstruction of Sri Lankan libraries affected by the tsunami.  Director General, Mr. Tae-Geun Kim, of the National Library of Korea sent a letter of consolation to Mr. W. A. Abeysinghe, Chairman of the National Library and Documentation Services Board (NLDSB), Sri Lanka, immediately after Mr. W. A. Abeysinghe sought assistance from the international community and from the IFLA members. At the same time, Mr. Kim suggested the Korean Library Association (KLA) conduct a campaign to help the Sri Lankan libraries.    Director General, Mr. Tae-Geun Kim joins in the campaign Welcoming his suggestion, KLA at once carried out a fund-raising campaign across the country. Understanding the urgent situation of Sri Lankan library community (at least 300 libraries including 53 public libraries needed to be rebuilt or restored), many people in Korea participated in the campaign to help the restoration of Sri Lankan libraries in particular. This campaign lasted for approximately 40days between 15 January to 28 February, 2005 and US$7,000 was collected and delivered to the NLDSB account. Furthermore, US$125 million was collected by the Korean government and private sectors to support all the tsunami affected countries.

Japan In Japan, each administrative body is seeking effective means of support to the affected countries based on the government decision to grant up to US$500 million as emergency assistance to cope with the damage.  Although the National Diet Library belongs to the legislature but not to any government ministries, as the national library of Japan and as the IFLA/PAC Regional Centre for Asia, it has been collecting information from related institutions to find appropriate ways of support for libraries and archives in the affected regions. For this purpose, the Preservation Division of the NDL held a meeting on March 8 and exchanged information and views with staff members of related institutions including the National Archives of Japan and the Japan Libraries Associations. In the private sector, a voluntarily-established committee of five preservation and information specialists made an appeal to support the restoration of cultural heritage, and it is now engaged in the conservation of soaked and muddy land ledgers in Banda Aceh, Indonesia.

3. Related links

• IFLA: Urgent appeals for help for tsunami-affected countries

http://www.ifla.org/V/press/tsunami04.htm 
Appeals of IFLA President Ms. Kay Raseroka with updated information relating to tsunami-affected libraries are available.
• UNESCO/Comunication and Information: Tsunami in South Asia

http://www.unesco.org/webworld/infocus/tsunami-asia 
Resources in the area of communication and information are provided. (Ex. links to educational websites about tsunami and disaster recovery resources of libraries and archives; list of information institutions handling donations; information collected by UNESCO and other organizations)
• IBBY(International Board on Books for Young People):HELP THE CHILDREN HIT BY THE TSUNAMI DISASTER

http://www.ibby.org/Seiten/03_news.htm#help
Call for donations to support children's literature projects in the Asian countries affected by the tsunami
• International Council on Archives: ICA and IFLA address international intergovernmental organisations in the aftermath of the tsunami 

http://www.ica.org/news.php?pnewsid=229&plangue=eng
The letter sent by Presidents of ICA and IFLA sent to the UN, FAO, WHO, UNDP, UNESCO, UNICEF. A bibliography of emergency salvage and drying techniques for archives and papers is attached.