Lovely library that caries the literary soul of Galle.
- Church Street
- Members only
Soldiers reading hall
The oldest library in Sri Lanka started as a ‘Reading Hall’ for soldiers of the Malay Rifle Regiment in the British times and has remained a place of books ever since. The lovely little library - open for members only - carries a wide range of titles in English and Sinhalese, including some special editions from the early 1800’s and a copy of the ‘Colombo Journal of 1832, the first ever published newspaper published in the country.
I adore its old looks and the traditions I enjoy the simple and serene environment, and also the friendliness of the community.
VOC Negotie Kantoor
It was not always a library. In the Dutch days it was first part of the East Indian Company’s Trade Office (Negotie Kantoor) then the residence of the Post Master - who conveniently worked in the post office next door - and later the British used it as a pay house.
Nice to know
The library was recently renovated with the help of the Netherlands Alumni Association of Lanka (NAAL). The members - many in prominent members of society - have studied at Dutch universities.