RANGANATHAN INFLUENCE EXAMINED BIBLIOMETRICALLY

A bibliometric analysis of the citations to Ranganathan's writings over the period 1956-1990, using Social Sciences Citation Index and Science Citation Index, indicates that this influence has not diminished over the years. His books are more frequently cited than his articles. Citations to the Prolegomena to Library Classification, (95), Colon Classification (69) Classified Catalogue Code (32) and Five Laws of Library Science (28) account for more than a third of the total citations (630). Ranganathan has been cited in a wide range of diverse contexts. The Five Laws are seen by several authors as the basic philosophical framework of librarianship. Facet analysis and subject structuring get substantial reference, including in computer generation of thesaurus, deep structure indexing systems and expert systems design. In discussions on rules and codes for cataloguing, the Classified Catalogue Code and canons have received substantial notice. History of library development in India, professional associations, reference service, and library administration, are among the other topics in which Ranganathan's contributions are cited. References are also made to his ideas on quantitative methods in library work.