Abstract:
Technological, Economical and Social changes have transformed the roles
of libraries and information management in the recent past. These changes have a
great impact on the existence and sustainability of the libraries. At the same time
it provides many opportunities and venues to manage the library and information
services sustainably. The library professionals have to consider seriously these
changing context and the new roles of the library and update and improve the
information management and data computing skills. Hence, library professionals
will improve the capabilities in order to lead the libraries towards the changing
strategies to face the challenges brought by the digital age. Libraries face
enormous challenges in managing information and have to tackles the challenges
by managing the libraries effectively for tomorrow and transformation of the
libraries to a sustainable future. Information Management skills play an
important role in managing libraries and information services effectively and
ensuring that the services continues to, the present and anticipated needs of
patrons sustainably.
The paper outlines how the university libraries of Sri Lanka take this
challenges strategically by developing information management skills and
sustainable library programmes and activities such as resource sharing/
collaboration, create flexibility, reduce costs, social networking, distribution and
marketing, strengthen ICT infrastructure to address the broader issues of a
sustainable future for library resources and service provision to their patrons.
