The Pioneers: H.A.I. Goonetileke (1922–2003) — M.K. Geethani Attanayake
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Picture courtesy: Proceedings on the occasion of the unveiling of the portrait of Mr. H.A.I. Goonetileke |
Hanging over the Reading Room on the ground floor of the University of Peradeniya Library is a portrait of a fascinating gentleman wearing a red cloak with white shirt, holding a book on his lap. This remarkable person is H.A.I Goonetileke, late librarian of the same university. He was energetic, committed, and intensely interested in all aspects of academic librarianship. In the field of academic librarianship in Sri Lanka, Mr. Goonetileke is considered a shining star, due to his rewarding contributions. In the Golden Jubilee Convocation of 1991 of the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters (D.Litt.).
Personal Life
H.A.I. Goonetileke, alias Henry Alfred Ian Goonetileke, was born on 5 January 1922. His grandfather practiced in the Supreme Court Kandy, Sri Lanka, and his father was the secretary of the District Court of Kandy when he died in 1926. An only child, Goonetileke’s early life was dogged by emotional upheavals and some misfortunes following the early death of his father. Two of his granduncles were lawyers, one of whom, William Goonetileke, founded and edited the Orientalist and possessed a fine personal library. H.A.I. Goonetileke married his wife Roslin in 1948.
Education
He began his studies at St. Thomas’ College Mount Lavinia, and later moved to Richmond College, Galle. As an only child, orphaned at an early age, he grew up with books. Away from the classroom and playing field, he was devoted to books, magazines, and newspapers as soon as he learned to read — the greatest boon to a budding librarian. The appetite grew as it was fed, and he had the good fortune to receive both primary and secondary education in a school that possessed a splendid library, as well as a principal and teachers who encouraged the reading habit. Three of teachers at school influenced him deeply: A.C.G. Abeywardena, Herbert Keueman, and E.F.C. Ludowyk. Keueman in particular was an important role model.
Higher Education
He earned his B.A. Degree in Art from the Ceylon University College in early 1940s, and pursued his postgraduate studies at the School of Librarianship and Archives at University College of London in 1955–56. Prof. Raymond Irwin, Sir Frank Francis, Mr. Roland Staveley, and Miss Mary Piggott were his teachers at said college. The idea of compiling a bibliography while studying at the same time was mooted. Goonetileke was a co–winner of the John Duncan Cowley Prize at the same university. He earned another diploma related to library and information science from the Madras University in India.
Highlights of His Profession
The first librarian of Ceylon University College was Reginald Stephen Enright. One quiet afternoon, he met Goonetileke, who declared his desire to become a librarian. Enright gave him a few books on librarianship he had used as a student in London, including A Student’s Manual of Bibliography by Arundel Esdaile.
Young Goonetileke started his professional career as an assistant librarian joining the University of Ceylon in 1953. He was appointed as the librarian of the same university in 1971, where he excelled so that the university library achieved the status of the best academic library in Sri Lanka. At one time, the library was in imminent danger of dissolution, and at that juncture Goonetileke campaigned vehemently and succeeded in preserving the library as it was, thus saving it intact for future generations. Even today, the seven–story Library, University of Peradeniya (formerly University of Ceylon) remains, the premier repository of knowledge and wisdom in Sri Lanka.
Goonetileke was a lecturer in his special field Library Science, when a post–graduate course began at Peradeniya in 1961. Mr. Gonethilake’s contributions to developing the university library were colossal, not only in terms of its physical development, but also in terms of its human resource development. He was one of the first librarians to start informal training courses for assistant librarians.
Goonetileke did not confine himself to working in the field of library and information science alone, but his contributions were many and varied, and he contributed effectively to the well–being of the University of Preradeniya and student life at many levels. He also extended his support to re–build the Jaffna Public Library, which was burnt through Sri Lankan civil war.
The Most Excellent Intellectual Contribution — A Bibliography of Ceylon
A Bibliography of Ceylon is the most excellent contribution rendered by Goonetileke to the scholarly world, and can be considered the most indispensable tool for all scholars concerned with Sri Lankan studies, particularly in the field of Social Sciences. It consists of eight volumes, only five of which have been published; the remaining three volumes were not completed due to Goonetileke’s failing health and other infirmities. The aim of his bibliography was to bring together the published literature in the western languages dealing with the land, people, history, and culture of Ceylon, from the sixteenth century to 1960s. It provides a convenient medium of reference for all those interested in studies and research on Ceylon. This bibliography is still available in university libraries in Sri Lanka, as well as in other countries.
Philosophy of H.A.I. Goonetileke
Broadly, his philosophy dealt with aspects of the university, the library, and librarianship. The following quotation reveals his outlook:
| “A University is one of the last refuges for the contemplative life, but contemplation must not be confused with idleness. Without contemplation, self–discipline and concentration cannot get really penetrating criticism of society.” |
Further, he believed that the way of life of the university should be based on reason, imagination, flair, sagacity, shrewdness, courage, conviction, and certainly passion, but should be born out of dispassionate study.
Goonetileke emphasized his philosophy regarding the library and role of the librarians, which
in the highest sense must serve as bulwark against the strident swell of an imbecile and vacant materialism and a librarian must learn to equip himself for this exacting mission. The personal style and temperament of the librarian takes precedence over a mere command of techniques. I need hardly emphasize that the skills of the traditional is not to become a substitute for library science. A civilization declares itself by its books, not by the latest craze in electronics. |
International Negotiation
Goonetileke participated in many important conferences around the world, and contributed significantly to library achievements in Sri Lanka. In 1961, he participated in the International Conference on Cataloguing Principles in Paris, and the International Meeting of Cataloguing Experts in Copenhagen. He was the only Sri Lankan librarian invited to serve on the advisory council of the Library and Archives of the Director General of UNESCO.
He was also a close associate of Dr. S.R. Ranganathan, the great library theoretician and guru. In 1954, Ranganathan had spent three days with Goonetileke in the upper Hantane chummery of the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. Once Goonetileke proclaimed that Dr. S.R. Ranganathan later became his mentor, guide, friend, and referee.
Goonetileke was the first Sri Lankan librarian to obtain his fellowship by thesis from the Library Association of the U.K., and he was the only Sri Lankan librarian invited to be a supervisor and thesis examiner at the University of London by the Library Association of the United Kingdom.
Leadership
The leadership he provided to Library, University of Peradeniya has made it a distinguished library among the other university libraries in the country. In the early 1970s, Goonetileke was one of the people in the forefront making an active contribution to the University Teachers Association in Sri Lanka, and in the early 1970s was invited to be the Chairman of the academic community of Peradeniya. He was never afraid to stand firm in a crisis and assert his opinions.
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| Figure 1: University of Peradeniya Library — Sri Lanka. |
Early Retirement
After the best professional practice, in July 1979, at age 57, Goonetileke resigned from his beloved post of librarian, over a matter concerning recruitment of library staff. There were stresses and strains, of course, regarding his resignation, but a compelling attachment prevented him from leaving from the country, though he was offered attractive positions in Ghana, Malaysia, and Nigeria.
Strong Individualist
Apart from Mr. Goonetileke’s unique qualities as an academic of high caliber, he possessed many other individualistic characteristics. Once Prof. C.M. Madduma Bandara, Vice Chancellor, University of Peradeniya visited Mr. Goonetileke’s residence, where this individualism was displayed when he said, “Mr. Vice Chancellor, I must say that after me, all that is in this house except the four walls, belongs to you” (referring to the University of Preadeniya.) It shows how devoted he was to the university, and what a great mind and generous heart he had; he symbolized his enduring attachment to this university.
He donated his priceless sixty–year collection of books, journals, pamphlets, off prints, and other documents of an academic nature on the Social Sciences and Humanities; as well as paintings and other art objects, such as statues in metal, wood, and plaster — amounting to 4,366 items to the university of Peradeniya library.
Among other traits of individualism he demonstrated was his decisions to retire prematurely from the University in 1980.
H.A.I. Goonetileke Prize
An intimate friendship with Michael Ondaatje (joint–winner of the Booker Prize for the novel The English Patient) resulted in his being the First Chairman of the newly formed Gratiaen Trust, to which he contributed significantly. The Gratiaen Trust, in 2003, began awarding the H.A.I. Goonetileke Prize in his memory for the best Sinhala and Tamil translation.
Writings of H.A.I. Goonetileke
Goonetileke was not a prolific writer, but he did contribute a number of articles to professional journals. He stated: “Public speaking has never been an accomplishment of mine, the written and spoken word being my chosen preference.” Goonetileke edited numerous articles and books dealing with various aspects of library science and others. His ways of expressing ideas in English is brilliant and subtle. Some of his selected publications include:
A Bibliography of Ceylon George Keyt, a Life in Art, with a Bio–Bibliography of the Artist, 1923–1988 A Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon in the East Indies (co–written with Robert Knox) The Road to Peradeniya: An Autobiography (co–written with Ivor Jenning) Images of Sri Lanka through American Eyes (Travelers in Ceylon in the 19th & 20th Centuries) “Scientific Documentation in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) Prolegomena to co–operation and co–ordination” International Library Review 6 (1974): 125–145 |
Sri Lankan librarianship lost this eminent academic figure on 21 May 2003 at the age of eighty–one. Goonetileke was one of the finest Sri Lankan academic librarians of the twentieth century. Still his name is remembered as Sri Lanka’s foremost librarian and bibliographer.
References
De Silva, W.R.G.. “H.A.I. Goonetileke — Librarian extraordinaire”. Journal of the University Librarians Association of Sri Lanka, 2003.
Goonetileke, H.A.I. A Bibliography of Ceylon, vol. 1. London: Inter Documentation Company UK LTD, 1973.
Online Edition of Daily News. “Remarkable Sri Lankan intellectual.” 16 June 2004. http://www.dailynews.lk/2004/06/16/artscop08.html (accessed 28 April 2012).
——— “H.A.I. Goonetileke — legend in his lifetime.” 15 June 2004. http://www.dailynews.lk/2004/06/15/fea11.html (accessed 28 April 2012).
Piyadasa, T.G. Libraries in Sri Lanka: their origin and history from ancient times to the present time. New Delhi: Sri Satguru Publications, 1985.
Proceedings on the occasion of the unveiling of the portrait of Mr. H.A.I. Goonetileke, university of Peradeniya Library, Colombo: 1997.
Samaranayake, Ajith. “The passing of a generation” Online Edition of Sunday Observer. 8 June 2003. http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2003/06/08/fea04.html (accessed 28 April 2012).
Seneviratne, Gamini. “Dr. H.A.I. Goonetileke — Unfinished Journeys” Sunday Island. 29 June 2003. http://www.island.lk/2003/06/29/featur06.html (accessed 28 April 2012).
About the author
M.K.Geethani Attanayake is Senior Assistant Librarian at the University of Kelaniya — Sri Lanka
E–mail: geethani [at] kln [dot] ac [dot] lk
© 2013 M.K.Geethani Attanayake.