Centres of Calculation and Unruly Colonists: The Colonial Library in Singapore and its Users, 1874-1900

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to show how the library management of the Raffles Library and
Museum (the former name of the National Library of Singapore) positioned the library in relation to the
wider colonial society of which it was a part. More widely, the aim is to explore the role of libraries within a
colonial setting.

Design/methodology/approach – The paper takes the form of historical research using archival materials.

Findings – The paper finds that the Raffles Library and Museum responded to the needs of two kinds of
users: the potentially wayward colonist in need of ―wholesome‖ recreation and the scientist/scholar
involved in making Singapore a regional centre for the production of colonial knowledge.

Originality/value – While knowledge-producing institutions such as botanical gardens, zoological parks,
museums of natural and human history, as well as anthropological and geographical societies now feature
prominently in discussions of British colonialism, the colonial library has been overlooked. This paper
represents a start at bringing the colonial library into focus as an institutional node designed to sustain
colonial endeavors.