Preserving and Utilizing the Indian Knowledge System Through Libraries

Abstract

The Indian Knowledge System (IKS) represents a vast and rich heritage encompassing philosophy, science, medicine, arts, literature, ecology, and social traditions developed over millennia. Libraries play a crucial role in preserving and utilising this knowledge by collecting, organising, conserving, and disseminating both documented and oral traditions of Indian wisdom. Through the preservation of manuscripts, rare books, archival materials, and indigenous records, libraries safeguard traditional knowledge from loss and degradation. The adoption of modern technologies such as digitisation, digital repositories, metadata standards, and open-access platforms has further enhanced access to IKS for scholars, students, and the wider public. Libraries also support the utilisation of Indian knowledge by integrating it into academic curricula, research activities, community outreach programmes, and interdisciplinary studies. By bridging traditional knowledge with contemporary information systems, libraries function as vital institutions in sustaining cultural identity, promoting indigenous scholarship, and ensuring the intergenerational transmission of the Indian Knowledge System in the digital age.