Library damage resulting from the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake

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Library damage resulting from the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake has been reported in six Asian countries. On December 26, the massive 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake struck off of the northwest coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The resulting tsunamis killed more than 180,000 people. In addition to the loss of human lives, cultural institutions were destroyed in several Asian nations. Libraries on the Eastern coast of Sri Lanka and the northern province of Aceh on Sumatra were most severely affected by the disaster.

An aerial view of the coastal city of Meulaboh, Indonesia, after the tsunami. The public library in Meulaboh was completely destroyed.
An aerial view of the coastal city of Meulaboh, Indonesia, after the tsunami. The public library in Meulaboh was completely destroyed.

Contents

[edit] Effect on libraries in India

Damage to libraries in India has not been well-documented. Water damage was reported at Madras University Library in Chennai.[1] The Asian Development Bank reports extensive damage to schools in the Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. A government assessment found that 252 schools in Tamil Nadu need complete reconstruction, 19 need major repairs and 49 need minor repairs.[2]

In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, 78 teachers are listed as killed or missing. Further, 25 percent of primary schools, 33 percent of upper primary schools, and 31 percent of senior secondary schools were seriously damaged, indicating that school libraries in the region also suffered damages.[3]

[edit] Effect on libraries in Indonesia

The Sumatran province of Aceh was severely damaged by the earthquake and resulting tsunami. An estimated 167,736 Indonesians were killed and 25% of Achenese lost their source of livelihood.[4] Banda Aceh, Aceh's capital, was the closest major city to the earthquake's epicenter, and many of its major libraries suffered extensive damage.[5]

[edit] Public libraries

The Aceh Provincial Library (BPD), was inundated with three meters of water. Twenty three staff members were killed, including the library's director, Bachtiar Azis, who is listed as missing along with his family. In addition to loss of life, the BPD suffered physical damage and a near total loss of its collection. Concrete and steel fences surrounding the two-story building were mostly destroyed, however, the building itself remained standing. All library materials housed on the first floor were swept away by the waves and the floor was covered in 30 cm.-thick mud. These lost materials comprise most of its children, young adult and adult collections. The water did not reach the second floor, but looting resulted in the loss of most materials and equipment. A collection of books received under legal deposit and housed on the second floor was left undisturbed and survived the disaster and looting intact.[6] Despite these losses, the BPD reopened to the public in May 2005.[7] As of August 2005, repairs were still being made to the building, the library lacked computers for its warintek (information technology section), and most areas of the library needed furnishing and collection replacement.

Of Aceh's eight public libraries, two were completely destroyed. These libraries were located in the hard-hit cities of Meulaboh and Sigli.[8]

Mobile library units, or perpustakaan keliling, are used to serve rural areas of Aceh. Days before the earthquake and tsunami, the BPD had received two newly built mobile library units from the National Library of Indonesia. Both of these were destroyed along with the rest of the mobile libraries parked on the BPD's carport. In July 2005, the National Library donated two replacement mobile units, however the new BPD director noted that further units were needed to adequately serve outlying regions of the province.[9][10]

[edit] Archives

The Aceh Documentation and Information Center, known for its collection of rare books and manuscripts chronicling the heritage of Aceh, was completely destroyed. Only half of the building remained standing, and the entire collection was swept away. A team from the National Library of Indonesia visiting in January 2005 was able to salvage only three books and one sheet of the genealogy of the Muslim kings of Aceh. These were taken to Jakarta for restoration.[11]

The Provincial Archives Agency lost 80 percent of the photographs in its collection.[12]

The Secretariat Office of the Aceh Province lost 160 boxes of records.[13]

Aceh branch of the National Land Register Agency was inundated with water. Roughly 629 boxes of materials certifying individual land ownership in the province were damaged. Due to the efforts of a team of conservators from Japan and archivists from the National Archives in Jakarta, many of these land register documents were preserved.[14]

[edit] School libraries

Damage to school libraries has not been well-documented. The Indonesia National Library reports that SMA 1, a high school in Banda Aceh, was not damaged by flood waters as it is located on the second floor, however, did experience some earthquake damage. Overall, 2,364 teachers and staff members were killed and 2,240 schools were destroyed on Sumatra and its outlying islands.[15]

The Central Library at the Ar-Raniri Institute for Islamic Studies, a public Islamic University in Banda Aceh, lost its information servers due to theft and seawater damage.[16]

[edit] Museums and religious libraries

Baiturrahman Grand Mosque Library in Banda Aceh lost its entire collection. Due to the mosque's central location and importance to the community, a concerted effort was made to clear and repair this complex of buildings immediately after the tsunami. As of August 2005 the library had reopened with 1,200 books in its collection.[17] The library of the Agricultural Information Institute of Banda Aceh, was inundated with water from the tsunami but its physical structure remained intact.[18][19]

The Library and Museum of the Ali Hasymy Educational Foundation survived intact as the tsunami did not reach this area of Banda Aceh.[20]

[edit] Effect on libraries in Malaysia

According to a Malaysian professor of library science, damage to libraries was minimal in Malaysia.[21]

[edit] Effect on libraries in the Maldives

All of the 199 inhabited islands comprising the Maldives atolls were affected by the tsunami.[22] The Maldives Library Association was not able to survey all public libraries across the atoll, however, a representative indicated some libraries were completely destroyed.[23]

[edit] School libraries

Forty-six percent of schools in the Maldives were damaged, and nine schools were completely destroyed.[24] The Maldives Ministry of Education reported the following damage to schools:[25]

Atoll Island Degree of Destruction
Alifu Alifu Bodufulhadhoo C+
Mathiveri C+
Baa Kihaadhoo C+
Dhaalu Ban'didhoo C+
Gemendhoo D
Meedhoo C+
Rin'budhoo C+
Vaanee C+
Gaafu Alifu Nilandhoo C
Villingilli C
Gaafu Dhaalu Gadhdhoo C+
Haa Alifu Filladhoo C+
Filladhoo D
Vashafaru C
Haa Dhaalu Kulhudhufushi C
Nolhivaranfaru C+
Kaafu Himmafushi C+
Dhiffushi C
Guraidhoo C
Maafushi C
Huraa C+
Maafushi D
Laamu Dhan'bidhoo C+
Gan C
Gan C+
Isdhoo C+
Kalhaidhoo C+
Mahibadhoo C
Mundoo C+
Lhaviyani Hinnavaru C
Meemu Dhiggaru C
Kolhufushi C
Madifushi D
Muli C+
Naalaafushi C+
Noonu Kudafaree C+
Maafaru C+
Raa Kandukolhudhoo D
Shaviyani Komandoo C+
Maroshi C+
Thaa Gaadhifushi D
Kin'bidhoo C
Madifushi D
Omadhoo C
Vilufushi C+
Vilufushi D

Categorization of schools after tsunami

Category C Partial damage (30%) to furniture, equipment and teaching materials on ground
Category C+ Flooding of ground floor, boundary wall destroyed (100 - 50 %) structural
Category D Total replacement of school including equipment and furniture, rebuilding

[edit] Effect on libraries in Thailand

Damage to libraries in [[[Thailand]] has not been well-documented. The Ministry of Education has reported that five schools were completely destroyed and 51 schools were damaged.[26]

[edit] Effect on libraries in Sri Lanka

More than 35,000 Sri Lankans were killed and 516,000 people were displaced as a result of the tsunami.[27] Roughly 60 percent of the coastal area of Sri Lanka was severely affected by the tsunami. Libraries across the country were damaged, and it is estimated that 1.2 million volumes of books and other reading materials were destroyed in the disaster.[28]

[edit] Public libraries

Out of the 950 public libraries in Sri Lanka, 55 libraries were affected and 28 were completely destroyed.[29] Several libraries were used as refuge centers or hospitals in the aftermath of the tsunami, and surviving furniture and collections suffered as a result. The UNESCO list of affected public libraries is below:[30]

Image:Srilanka map.gif
Map of Sri Lanka showing the locations of tsunami-damaged public libraries.

Colombo District

1. Egoda Uyana Branch Public Library and 3 Community Centre libraries (Moratuwa Municipal Council)

Kalutara District

2. Panadura Public Library – 1 Reading Room (Panadura Municipal Council)
3. Maradana Branch Public Library (Beruwala Urban Council)

Galle District

4. Balapitiya Public Library (Balapitiya Pradeshiya Sabha)
5. Hirewatte branch Public Library (Ambalangoda Urban Council)
6. Hikkaduwa Public Library (Hikkaduwa Urban Council)
7. Godagama Public Library (Hikkaduwa Pradeshiya Sabha)
8. Madampe Public Library (Hikkaduwa Pradeshiya Sabha)
9. Magalle branch Public Library (Galle Municipal Council)
10. Habaraduwa Public Library (Habaraduwa Pradeshiya Sabha)

Matara District

11. Mirissa Public Library (Waligama Pradeshiya Sabha)
12. Matara Public Library (Matara Municipal Council)
13. Gandara Public Library (Devinuwara Pradeshiya Sabha)
14. Dickwella Public Library (Dickwella Pradeshiya Sabha)

Hambantota District

15. Kudawalle Public Library (Tangalle Pradeshiya Sabha)
16. Tangalle Public Library (Tangalle Urban Council)
17. Ambalantota Public Library (Ambalantota Pradeshiya Sabha)
18. Hambantota Public Library (Hambantota Urban Council)

Ampara District

19. Pottuvil Ullai Public Library (Pottuvil Pradeshiya Sabha)
20. Pottuvil Komari Public Library (Pottuvil Pradeshiya Sabha)
21. Kalmunai Public Library (Kalmunai Municipal Council)
22. Sainthamaruthu Public Library (Sainthamaruthu Pradeshiya Sabha)
23. Maruthamunai Public Library (Maruthamunai Pradeshiya Sabha)
24. Nattpiddimunai Public Library (Nattpiddimunai Pradeshiya Sabha)
25. Karaithivu Public Library (Karaithivu Pradeshiya Sabha)
26. Attalaichchenai Public Library (Attalaichchenai Pradeshiya Sabha)
27. Ninthavur Public Library (Ninthavur Pradeshiya Sabha)
28. Alayadivembu Public Library (Alayadivembu Pradeshiya Sabha)
29. Thirukovil Public Library (Thirukovil Pradeshiya Sabha)
30. Thirukovil Sub Office Public Library (Thirukovil Pradeshiya Sabha)
31. Meeranagar Public Library (Akaraipatru Pradeshiya Sabha)
32. Akaraipatru Public Library (Akaraipatru Pradeshiya Sabha)

Batticaloa District

33. Vaharai Public Library (Vaharai Pradeshiya Sabha)
34. Valaichchenai Public Library (Koralaipatru Pradeshiya Sabha)
35. Eruvil Patru Public Library (Eruvil Patru Pradeshiya Sabha)
36. Manmunai Public Library (Manmunai Pradeshiya Sabha)
37. Manmunai Patru North Public Library (Manmunai Patru Pradeshiya Sabha)

Trincomalee District

38. Muttur Sub Office Public Library (Muttur Pradeshiya Sabha)
39. Muttur Public Library (Muttur Pradeshiya Sabha)
40. Muttur Town Public Library (Muttur Pradeshiya Sabha)
41. Kinniya Public Library (Kinniya Pradeshiya Sabha)
42. Vellamanal Public Library (Town and Gravets Pradeshiya Sabha)
43. Nilaveli Sub Office Public Library (Kuchchaveli Pradeshiya Sabha)
44. Trincomalee Public Library (Trincomalee Urban Council)
45. Eachchalampatru Sub Office Public Library (Seruwila Pradeshiya Sabha)

Mullaitivu District

46. 1.Mullaithivu Sub Office Public Library (Maritimepatru Pradeshiya Sabha)
47. 2.Semalai Public Library (Maritimepatru Pradeshiya Sabha)

Jaffna District

48. Valvettithurai Public Library (Valvettithurai Pradeshiya Sabha)
49. Point Pedro Public Library (Point Pedro Urban Council)
50. Vadamaratchi Public Library (Point Pedro Pradeshiya Sabha)
51. Vadamaratchi East Public Library (Point Pedro Pradeshiya Sabha)
52. Vadamaratachi Sub Office Public Library (Point Pedro Pradeshiya Sabha)

[edit] School libraries

One estimate of damage to school libraries in Sri Lanka indicates that of the 9,790 schools in the country, 182 schools were directly affected by the tsunami and an additional 282 schools were damaged because of their use as refugee camps after the tsunami.[31] While not all of these schools had a full-fledged library, most had a book closet or other collection of materials. At least 165 school libraries were damaged by the tsunami.[32] Compounding the damage, many schools had large collection of textbooks on hand for distribution to students at the beginning of the school year in January. Damage reports range from furniture damage to lost collections to complete destruction of the physical building.

[edit] Archives

Sri Lankan government departments lost public records to the tsunami. In the Southern province, all electoral registers were destroyed, along with 600,000 land deeds from the Department of the Surveyor General.[33]

[edit] Museums and religious libraries

Sixty-eight libraries affiliated with religious institutions and at least three museums were damaged by the tsunami.[34] Many of these libraries were attached to Buddhist temples and contained valuable collections of palm leaf manuscripts and documents relating to Ayurveda, the indigenous medical tradition.[35]

The National Maritime Museum in Galle lost 90 percent of its collection, mostly artifacts salvaged from underwater wrecks and archaeology sites. The museum also lost all of its computers and other technical equipment.[36] The collection housed in the Martin Wickramasinghe Folk Museum of Koggala survived relatively unscathed, however the children's library attached to the museum was severely damaged along with most of the museum's furniture. The Maritime Archaeology Unit of the Central Cultural Fund was also severely damaged, resulting in the loss of artifacts from an 18th century Dutch shipwreck that were eventually to be donated to a museum.[37]

[edit] Sri Lankan response

In the weeks following the disaster, the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions cooperated with UNESCO, the Sri Lanka Library Association, the National Library and Documentation Center of Sri Lanka and other organizations to create the Sri Lanka Disaster Management Committee for Libraries, Information Services and Archives (SL DMC-LISA). The committee worked to secure funding for temporary libraries and computer equipment and began reviewing architectural plans for rebuilding libraries. Further initiatives were developed to encourage "twinning" or paring of Sri Lankan libraries with donors.[38]

In addition to working with the disaster committee, the Sri Lanka Library Association targeted five libraries for rebuilding with the intent of creating model institutions. As of 2006, three of these libraries had re-opened, while progress on the other two was delayed due to political instability in the region.[39]

[edit] References

  1. ^ American Library Association. (2005). South Asian libraries hit hard by tsunami. American Libraries. Retrieved October 28, 2006, from, http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/currentnews/newsarchive/2005abc/january2005ab/tsunami.htm
  2. ^ Asian Development Bank, United Nations and World Bank. (2005, March 8). India post tsunami recovery program: Preliminary Damage and Needs Assessment. Available from http://www.adb.org/Documents/Reports/Tsunami/india-assessment-full-report.pdf
  3. ^ UNICEF. Children eager to return to schools in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Retrieved October 20, 2006, from http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/24615_25059.html
  4. ^ UN Office of the Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery. Human toll. Retrieved October 28, 2006, from http://www.tsunamispecialenvoy.org/country/humantoll.asp
  5. ^ International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA). (2005, March 29). In Banda Aceh, Sumatra all of the major libraries suffered extensive damage. Retrieved October 18, 2006, from http://www.ifla.org/V/press/tsunami-Indonesia1.htm
  6. ^ http://www.ala.org/ala/iro/iroactivities/Tsunamiindonesianreport.htm
  7. ^ McKenzie, Amelia. Books for Aceh project. Gateways. Retrieved October 28, 2006, from http://www.nla.gov.au/pub/gateways/issues/77/story.html
  8. ^ Baba, Zawiyah, Hasbullah Atan, Rohani Rustam, and Abdul Hamid Abdul Rahman. (2005). Report of Librarians' Association of Malaysia (PPM) Iqra' Mission to Aceh, North Sumatra, Indonesia, 2-5 August 2005. Alexandria,17(3):167-175.
  9. ^ http://www.ala.org/ala/iro/iroactivities/Tsunamiindonesianreport.htm
  10. ^ Baba, Zawiyah, Hasbullah Atan, Rohani Rustam, and Abdul Hamid Abdul Rahman. (2005). Report of Librarians' Association of Malaysia (PPM) Iqra' Mission to Aceh, North Sumatra, Indonesia, 2-5 August 2005. Alexandria,17(3):167-175.
  11. ^ http://www.ala.org/ala/iro/iroactivities/Tsunamiindonesianreport.htm
  12. ^ Utomo, Djoko. Recovering from the tsunami: The consequences for recordkeeping. Available from http://www.ica.org/biblio/Djoko%20Utomo%20abstract%20ENG_2.pdf
  13. ^ ibid
  14. ^ Sakamoto, Isamu. (2005). Disaster from great earthquake off Sumatra and subsequent tsunamis including damage to cultural heritage. International Preservation News, 36:16-19.
  15. ^ UN Office of the Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery. Indonesia. Retrieved October 28, 2006, from http://www.tsunamispecialenvoy.org/country/indonesia.asp
  16. ^ Sakamoto, Isamu. (2005, December 2005). One step forward-relief work for damaged documents at Aceh, Indonesia. Retrieved October 28, 2006, from http://www.ndl.go.jp/en/iflapac/pdf/sakamoto.pdf
  17. ^ http://www.ala.org/ala/iro/iroactivities/Tsunamiindonesianreport.htm
  18. ^ http://www.ala.org/ala/iro/iroactivities/Tsunamiindonesianreport.htm
  19. ^ http://www.lib.washington.edu/SoutheastAsia/Acehlibs.html
  20. ^ http://www.ala.org/ala/iro/iroactivities/Tsunamiindonesianreport.htm
  21. ^ Whelan, Debra Lau. (2005). Libraries in tsunami's path need aid. School Library Journal. Available from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA499367.html
  22. ^ http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=38155&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
  23. ^ http://www.ala.org/ala/iro/iroactivities/destructionmaldiveslib.htm
  24. ^ http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=38155&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
  25. ^ http://www.ala.org/ala/iro/iroactivities/destructionmaldiveslib.htm
  26. ^ Asian Disaster Preparedness Center. The economic impact of the 26 December 2004 earthquake & Indian Ocean tsunami in Thailand. Retrieved October 18, 2006, from http://www.adpc.net/maininforesource/dms/thailand_assessmentreport.pdf
  27. ^ UN Office of the Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery. Sri Lanka. Retrieved October 28, 2006, from http://www.tsunamispecialenvoy.org/country/srilanka.asp
  28. ^ Amarasiri, Upali. (2005). Tsunami affected libraries in Sri Lanka: Rebuilding process and challenges. Available from http://www.ndl.go.jp/en/iflapac/pdf/amarasiri.pdf
  29. ^ ibid.
  30. ^ UNESCO. Public libraries in Sri Lanka affected by tsunami waves. Available from http://www.unesco.org/webworld/infocus/tsunami-asia/srilanka_map.htm
  31. ^ Amarasiri, Upali. (2005). Tsunami affected libraries in Sri Lanka: Rebuilding process and challenges. Available from http://www.ndl.go.jp/en/iflapac/pdf/amarasiri.pdf
  32. ^ Premila Gamage and Maria Cotera. (2005). Rising from the rubble: The Sri Lanka Library Association rehabilitation project. Impact:50-52.
  33. ^ Amarasiri, Upali. (2005). Rising from the wreckage: Development of tsunami-affected libraries in Sri Lanka. IFLA News, 31(4):307-314.
  34. ^ Premila Gemage and Maria Cotera. (2005). Rising from the rubble: The Sri Lanka Library Association rehabilitation project. Impact:50-52.
  35. ^ Amarasiri, Upali. (2005). Tsunami affected libraries in Sri Lanka: Rebuilding process and challenges. Available from http://www.ndl.go.jp/en/iflapac/pdf/amarasiri.pdf
  36. ^ International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA). (2005, January 27). Libraries completely missing: Tsunami and Sri Lanka's East Coast. Retrieved October 18, 2006, from http://www.ifla.org/V/press/tsunami-SriLanka-report7.htm
  37. ^ Gamage, Premila. (2005). Tsunami devastates Sri Lankan libraries. International Leads, 19(1):1-2.
  38. ^ Ashling, Jim. (2005). Support for libraries in tsunami aftermath. International Report:24-25.
  39. ^ http://www.slla.org.lk/naclis-2006/pub/annual%20rep2006.pdf
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