Citizen Science is already working in Sri Lanka

A notable Citizen science project was initiated following the MV Express Pearl ship disaster from June 1 to August 4, 2021. People along the coastline contributed to measuring the plastic pollution following the disaster. Volunteers, including hoteliers, field officers from state agencies, and research students, have submitted 73 responses representing different coastal areas. Another study was carried out in the “Kalu river” basin to understand flood causes and impacts in the Kalu River, one of Sri Lanka’s largest and most frequently flooded rivers. A recent study explored conditions for designing citizen observatories in rural Sri Lanka, specifically examining how rural communities near industrial centres monitor air quality. The research focused on engaging citizens through digital applications to gather ecological data. In addition, we are already contributing to citizen science platforms like Globe and iNaturalist. For example, Sri Lanka has uploaded 48,368 data entries and 136 schools/organizations contribute to the Globe platform while local naturalists, students contribute to a number of biodiversity projects in the iNaturalist platform, documenting plant sp, native fish sp., butterflies, moth families, urban birds and home garden biodiversity (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Observations on  iNaturalist

Libraries—The untapped potential

A recent survey [6] from 15 state universities across Sri Lanka reveals a striking reality. University Librarians are moderately aware of citizen science, which they have heard about from academic sources, colleagues and social media. A good proportion of 66% correctly understand its core concepts. Obviously, the current engagement in citizen science is almost zero, but 80% of university librarians consider citizen science involvement important or very important. This represents interest, an untapped opportunity waiting for researchers to seize (Figure 3).

Figure 3: Survey Outcomes

How can libraries support

When asked about preferred citizen science projects, librarians identified clear priorities that align with Sri Lanka’s critical challenges.

• Environmental monitoring (27%)—air, water, and soil quality assessment
• Public health related issues (25%)
• Archaeological and historical studies (19%)—documenting cultural heritage
• Plant and animal life monitoring (13%)—biodiversity conservation
• Weather and climate change monitoring (12%)—understanding environmental shifts
• Astronomy projects (3%)—engaging with space science

How can Librarians support these projects? They have identified their roles in five key areas where they can significantly contribute to citizen science projects:

1. Providing comprehensive information resources about citizen science methodologies and best practices
2. Connecting researchers with potential citizen scientists from their extensive user base
3. Promoting citizen science initiatives within university and broader communities
4. Supporting data management for projects requiring robust data collection and storage
5. Hosting citizen science events and workshops to recruit, train, and sustain volunteer participation

These aren’t theoretical capabilities, librarians rated each of these contributions as significant to very significant, with mean scores above 3.8 on a 5-point scale.

What’s keeping librarians back ?

The interest, the capacity is there. Then what’s holding us back? The main obstacles identified were limited resources (22.6%), lack of knowledge (21.9%), and limited funding (21.3%).

Lack of knowledge about citizen science projects can be addressed through training which is suggested by 91% of librarians. Moreover, 71% of librarians expressed interest in partnership opportunities, and 64% identified external funding as a key enabler. This means libraries are actively seeking researcher collaborators who can help them access grants and build sustainable citizen science programs.

Researchers bring scientific expertise and project design; libraries bring infrastructure, volunteers, and community connections. Together, these complementary strengths create something neither could achieve alone.

In conclusion

Though numerous promising global examples of citizen science projects exist, several challenges could hinder the amalgamation of citizen science into library services, especially in developing contexts like Sri Lanka. Lack of awareness and formal training could be a barrier for librarians in participating in citizen science. In addition, library science curricula and professional development programs rarely address citizen science or community-led research in Sri Lanka, as well as countries in the global South. On the other hand, limited funding, the absence of institutional partnerships, and a lack of policies restrict the scope of libraries to participate in such non-traditional roles despite growth opportunities. Sri Lanka’s extensive library network and its growing interest in community-based development and increasing digital connectivity can be a foundation for introducing pilot projects. Environmental conservation, disaster preparedness, or public health remain as national priorities, and libraries can position themselves as key facilitators of civic engagement through science. These opportunities call for strategic investment in librarian capacity building and stakeholder collaboration.