Five Laws of Library Science
By
Dr. S. R. Ranganathan
Ranganathan's Five Laws of Library Science are a set of norms, precepts and
guides to good practices in librarianship.
Ranganathan presented his Five laws of library science for the first time in 1928 in a conference of teachers held in the Meenakshi College, Annamalainagar.
It may be noted that Dr. Ranganathan had his education in librarianship in the University of London, School of Librarianship, in the year 1924.
Dr. Ranganathan was very interested in learning about the ideas and procedures used in those libraries, as well as the services provided to their patrons. The methods that were prevalent in libraries and the principles that were taught to be remembered in the organization of library operations were not convincing to him at the time.
The outcome of this line of thinking on the part Dr. Ranganathan resulted in his enunciation of Five Laws of Library Science. Subsequently, these laws were fully developed and published in book form in 1931 with Foreword by P.S. Sivaswami Aiyer and an introduction by W.C. Berwick Sayers.
It must be noted that the Five Laws are a first step towards putting library work on a scientific basis, providing general principles from which all library practices could be deduced.
Five Laws as follows:
Books are for use
Every reader his/her book
Every book its reader
Save the time of the reader
The library is a growing organism.
FIRST LAW “BOOKS ARE FOR USE”
The earlier accent was on the preservation of books rather than on their use. It was the common practice in the medieval monastic libraries in Europe to have books chained to the shelves so that they could be preserved and not get lost in the process of being used. This was only a normal urge at a time when books were difficult to produce. This habit somehow continued even after the invention of printing which facilitated the easy production of several copies of each book. Although isolated examples of reluctance to permit the unrestricted use of books can be occasionally seen even today, the general position is that books are available for use without any let or hindrance. All policies relating to a library should be helpful in promoting the objective of books being put to the maximum use.
SECOND LAW “EVERY READER HIS/HER BOOK”
A variant of this law is, "Books for All"
Every reader of a library should have the
books he wants. It advocates the universalisation and democratisation of library
service.
education and the acquisition of knowledge, through whatever
institution possible, became a basic right of all citizens without any distinction
Whatsoever.
THIRD LAW “EVERY BOOK ITS READER”
As in the First Law,
the approach here is from the angle of the book. Every book in a library should
have a chance of finding its appropriate reader and of being used by him.
FOURTH LAW “SAVE THE TIME OF THE READER”
Readers coming to the library are busy people and they should not be made to
wait longer than necessary to get their needs met. They should get an exact and
fast service from the library. If they develop a sense of waste of time in the
library, they are likely to avoid coming to the library
FIFTH LAW “LIBRARY IS A GROWING ORGANISM
it underlines the
characteristics of the library as a living institutional organism
In a living organism, the growth is of two kinds; viz., child growth and adult
growth. Child growth is chiefly characterised by growth in physical dimensions
and it is fast and visible. But in the case of adults, the growth is mainly in the
nature of replacement of cells. It is a kind of internal qualitative change and
growth that may not be visible:
Implications of the Five Laws
Implications of the First Law
Library Location
Easy accessibility of the library to its users
Library Hours
Library Building and Furniture
Qualifications and qualities for library staff
Credibility of the staff
Service with a smile
Implications of the Second Law
Obligation of the State
Enactment of library legislation
Obligation of the Library Authority- Choice/Selection of books and Choice/Selection of staff
Obligation of the Staff
Obligation of the Reader
Resource Sharing
Services for blind and handicraft
Services for Slam Areas
Right to education
Implications of the Third Law
Open Access
Shelf Rectification
Shelf Arrangement
List of New Additions
Display of New Books
Book Exhibition
Classification and Cataloguing
Implications of the Fourth Law
Circulation/Issue Method/Charging System
Classified Arrangement
Library Automation
Centralised/Pre-natal Cataloguing
Stack room Guides
Implications of the Fifth Law
Book Stock
Child and Adult Growth
Digitization & Use of ICT
Weeding out of Books
Use of pencil for call number
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