Abstract:
The study sought to assess the reading habits among children and their library
facilities available for them at their child protection center. The study was conducted in
Central Province in Sri Lanka. A questionnaire survey was used for the data collection and
the data were analysed with the descriptive analysing methods. There are 35 child homes
which are run by voluntary organizations under the supervision of the Department of
Probation and Child Care Services in Central province, Sri Lanka. Whole population was
treated as sample. Objectives of this study was to identify the existing library facilities at the
child home, to propose the children how to use library and inculcate reading habit and to
assist the managers of the child home to develop the library collection with supporting of
government and other agencies. According to the results, 80 percent of the libraries have no
permanently allocated area as a library. There were 20 to 2000 books available for the
readers. 77 percent of the centers have no internet facilities where as rest have internet
facilities but very limited access to utilize the services. 41 percent of the child protection
centers always allows readers to utilize the library facilities. The main purpose of using the
library facilities were to find information for their assignments, lending and to read subject
materials. There are no trained person to manage the resources in the libraries therefore this
study recommends to enhance the library resources with a good management to enrich the
reading habits among the children’s at child protection centers.
