American Center Library in Sri Lanka Re-Opens to PublicReleased by U.S. Embassy Sri Lanka
Library Returns to Circulating Collection With More Than 1,800 New Books
Colombo, April 19, 2005 : After nearly a four-month closure following the December Tsunami, the American Center Library and Information Resource Center has re-opened to the public with a new collection of books and databases. More than 1,800 new titles have been added to the library's collection, including contemporary and classic American literature, history, politics, culture, cinema, society, economics and educational advising materials for those seeking to study in the United States. [more]
In addition, the Information Resource Center (IRC) offers modern computer stations with high-speed internet access and more than two dozen CD-Rom databases. The IRC also contains 36 periodicals such as Foreign Affairs, Harper's, The New Yorker, Newsweek, and National Geographic. The U.S. embassy had closed the library to the public after the Tsunami so that its Disaster Assessment Relief Team could use it for its base of operations.
“We're delighted to be able to re-open our library and resource center to the public,” said Philip Frayne, the Director of the American Center. “We're especially pleased we can once again offer a circulating collection of novels, histories, biographies and many other books to meet just about anybody's interests.” Visiting Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca officially re-opened the library at a ceremony Tuesday evening, accompanied by U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Lunstead and Colombo Mayor Prasanna Gunawardene. The library and Information Resource Center are located in the American Center at 44 Galle Road, Colombo 03, and are open to the public Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. [Remarks by Assistant Secretary Rocca] |