Ranganathan’s Religion and Its Influence on His Library Science

Abstract

The work of S. R. Ranganathan is central to library and information science in the modern age, but the various influences upon him are complex and difficult to unravel. While many aspects of his Indian background have been analysed, his personal religious beliefs can remain elusive. This paper considers what his religious practice might have been throughout his life, and how that interacted with his intellectual work. The treatment of religion in the Colon Classification is also examined for evidence of his beliefs.  His faith seems to have been modified during his lifetime, and the conflict between spiritual experience and intellectual activity finally resolved.