Template:All Projects/Year/2012
Contents
- 1 Manuscripts Archive Jaffna Public Libray 2012
- 2 Muslim Archive Pilot Project
- 3 Digitizing Publication for Online Access
- 4 Manuscripts Archive Chunnakam Public Library 2012
- 5 Digital Library for School Students Pilot Project
- 6 Manuscripts Archive Pilot Project 2012
- 7 Documentation and Archiving of Rare Endangered Documents
Manuscripts Archive Jaffna Public Libray 2012
| Project Number | NF/PG/2012/0007 | Grant Agency / Donors | Noolaham Foundation | Project Owner | Shaseevan Ganeshananthan | |
| Project Mentor | Seran Sivananthamoorthy | Project Locations | Jaffna | Project Period | 2012 September – 2012 December | |
| Stakeholders | Jaffna Public Library, Volunteers of Noolaham Foundation | |||||
The Manuscripts Archive Jaffna Public Library 2012 was carried out by Noolaham Foundation in 2012 to digitize and archive the collection of palm-leaf manuscripts held at Jaffna Public Library. This type of project was the second project carried out by Noolaham Foundation in the same year. To maximize use of palm-leaf manuscripts through online access of the digitized documents and increase the life of the collections are the main objective of the project.
Through this project 5 manuscript volumes were digitized. A web portal also will be created. These precious collections consists of information on Tamil literature, prose and verse, history and tradition, grammar and lexicography, art, indigenous medicine, astrology, science, architecture and folk-lore. These document collections will be made freely accessible and downloadable in the user-friendly interface of Noolaham Foundation’s Digital Library and most of the knowledge seekers will have easy access to these services. This project was a successful initiative and received special appreciation from scholars.
Muslim Archive Pilot Project
| Project Number | NF/PG/2012/0006 | Grant Agency / Donors | Noolaham Foundation | Project Owner | Shaseevan Ganeshananthan | |
| Project Mentor | Shaseevan Ganeshananthan | Project Locations | Akkaraipattu, Ampara District | Project Period | 2012 September - 2013 September | |
| Stakeholders | Larisdeen Rajeeb, Mr. Mahroof Fauzer and Mr. M.I.M.Jabeer | |||||
The Muslim Archive Pilot Project was the pilot project conducted by Noolaham Foundation to create a special collection called Muslim Archive within the Foundation’s digital library www.noolaham.org. The Muslim Archive collection aims to collect and update a comprehensive information resource pool about the Tamil speaking Muslim communities of Sri Lanka. This project was implemented with the support of various individuals who had documents about Muslim issues in Sri Lanka.
During this project 201 rare and endangered documents were digitized and made available online through Noolaham Foundation’s Digital Library to the Tamil speaking community. A web portal was created for the Muslim Archive special collection where all documents related to the Muslim identity can be located and accessed. This project was a successful initiative and received special appreciation from Sri Lankan Muslim writers and publishers.
Digitizing Publication for Online Access
| Project Number | NF/PG/2012/0005 | Grant Agency / Donors | Neelan Tiruchelvam Trust / Noolaham Foundation | Project Owner | Shaseevan Ganeshananthan |
| Project Mentor | Shaseevan Ganeshananthan | Project Locations | Colombo and Jaffna | Project Period | 2012 September - 2014 March |
| Stakeholders | Neelan Tiruchelvam Trust |
The Digitizing Publications for Online Access project was carried out by Noolaham Foundation in Colombo and Jaffna with the project funding received from Neelan Tiruchelvam Trust in Colombo and Jaffna. The main goal of this project was to identify, locate and digitize various publications and make them available online.
During the project period, Noolaham Foundation has digitized 31,053 pages from 262various kinds of publications and made them available through the digital library at noolaham.org. These publications include works of eminent Tamil and Muslim writers. Also, Noolaham Foundation has obtained written permission from 52 copyright holders to digitize their writings and publications and make them available online. We obtained permission from writers, institutions and schools. The permission obtained from these persons and institutions has enabled Noolaham Foundation to release another 20,000 pages which had been archived but held back from open access because of copyright restrictions. A number of publications digitized through this project enabled us to launch two more projects releasing DVDs of publications of two schools.
Manuscripts Archive Chunnakam Public Library 2012
| Project Number | NF/PG/2012/0004 | Grant Agency / Donors | Noolaham Foundation | Project Owner | Seran Sivananthamoorthy | |
| Project Mentor | Seran Sivananthamoorthy | Project Locations | Jaffna | Project Period | 2012 | |
| Stakeholders | Chunnkam Public Library, S. Balamurali | |||||
The Manuscripts Archive Chunnakam Public Library 2012 project was carried out by Noolaham Foundation in 2012 to digitize and archive the collection of palm-leaf manuscripts and archaic coins in the Chunnakam Public Library. Digitization of palm leafs and ancient coins is a first-of-its-kind activity undertaken by NF. To archive as electronic document, maximize the usage of palm-leaf manuscripts, provide access to them freely and enhance the study of ancient numismatics through online access of digitized documents, and to understand and depict the history and promote the prestige of the Tamil state are the objectives of the project.
The project was completed by December 2012. Through this project ten manuscript volumes and seventy five ancient coins were digitized and will be launched publicly at www.noolaham.org. A web portal will also be created for easy access and could be downloaded in the user friendly interface. These precious collections are related to the Tamil speaking communities of Sri Lanka. These palm leafs were the storage medium for ancient literature, philosophy and science containing valuable knowledge such as medicine, Tamil literature, stories, paintings, family Notes, family Accounts, grammar books, astrology, septic breakdown remedies, animal remedies, Vegan books and thesaurus. The digital preservation of these manuscripts is one of the more respectable achievements of the project in the context of cultural preservation. This project was a successful initiative and received special appreciation from librarians and scholars.
Digital Library for School Students Pilot Project
| Project Number | NF/PG/2012/0003 | Grant Agency / Donors | Noolaham Foundation | Project Owner | Shaseevan Ganeshananthan | |
| Project Mentor | Shaseevan Ganeshananthan | Project Locations | Jaffna, Trincomalee and Colombo | Project Period | 2012 - 2013 | |
| Stakeholders | Department of Education, Northern Province Various Zonal Education offices and School teachers | |||||
The Digital Library for School Students Pilot Project was carried out by Noolaham Foundation in 2012/2013 to create open access digital library for the Sri Lankan Tamil speaking students and educators. This project was aimed at digitizing educational materials. It was the first step taken by the Foundation towards establishing virtual learning platforms for the Tamil speaking students in Sri Lanka through its Pallikoodam Program. It is an educational initiative of Noolaham Foundation that aims at creating an alternative, community-centered educational system among the Tamil speaking communities in Sri Lanka.
Through this project 500 G.C.E advanced level and ordinary level exam papers were digitized and made available online at Noolaham Foundation’s Pallikoodam Program website at www.epallikoodam.org. Events were conducted at four schools to introduce the Pallikoodam Program as well as Noolaham Digital Library. The Education Department of Northern Province, four zonal Education departments and 11 schools contributed towards this project. This initiative was a massive success and special appreciation came from school teachers and students.
Manuscripts Archive Pilot Project 2012
| Project Number | NF/PG/2012/0002 | Grant Agency / Donors | Noolaham Foundation | Project Owner | Seran Sivananthamoorthy | |
| Project Mentor | Seran Sivananthamoorthy | Project Locations | Jaffna | Project Period | 2012 | |
| Stakeholders | Seran Sivananthamoorthy, Federal Assistance Award, French institute of Pondicherry, EAP 458 Team | |||||
The Manuscripts Archive Pilot Project 2012 was carried out by Noolaham Foundation in 2012 to establish the Manuscripts Archive Program of the Foundation. While conducting Documentation and Archiving of Rare Endangered Documents project, Noolaham Foundation came across a number of palm-leaf manuscript collections in Jaffna. The flatbed scanners which were being used at that time were not suitable to scan such fragile documents. Thus a pilot project was implemented to evaluate feasibility, time, cost, adverse events, and effect size (statistical variability) of digitizing manuscripts and to establish a Manuscripts Archive Program.
Noolaham Foundation acquired the expertise and received training from EAP 458 team based at the French institute of Pondicherry, India. EAP 458 Team was carrying out a project under the British Library’s Endangered Archive Program. A small sample of ola leaf volumes were also digitized during the project. This project was a successful initiative and received special appreciation from scholars.
Documentation and Archiving of Rare Endangered Documents
| Project Number | NF/PG/2012/0001 | Grant Agency / Donors | US Department of State | Project Owner | Shaseevan Ganeshananthan | |
| Project Mentor | Shaseevan Ganeshananthan | Project Locations | Colombo and Jaffna | Project Period | 2012 - 2013 | |
| Stakeholders | Staff and Volunteers of Noolaham Foundation | |||||
The main goal of the Documentation and Archiving of Rare Endangered Documents Project was to document and digitize rare and endangered documents related to the Tamil speaking communities of Sri Lanka. Two workshops were conducted to introduce the importance of documentation and archiving and to provide digitizing training; moreover, sustaining a volunteer pool to carry out future activities was also planned as part of this project. It was funded by the US Department of State
Through this project 660 rare and endangered documents were digitized and made available online through Noolaham Foundation’s Digital Library (www.noolaham.org) to the Tamil speaking communities of the entire world. Further, two workshops were conducted by Noolaham Foundation about the importance of documentation and archiving. The project also provided digitizing training to volunteers and other stakeholders as well. During the project period a sustainable volunteer pool was built to carry out future projects. Noolaham Foundation is happy to report that all project goals had been achieved and more projects have been initiated.
Digital libraries are significant as they lower the bar for participation by information producers and collectors. It democratizes the generation and distribution of information. Thus this project supported by US Embassy has enabled Noolaham Foundation to preserve and revitalize culture and knowledge. In a long term perspective, the outcomes of this project will contribute immensely towards fostering knowledge-based development in Sri Lanka.
