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Five Laws of Library Science: Introduction and Implications of Five Laws of Library Science

Introduction

Dr. Shiyali Ramamritra Ranganathan (1892 - 1972) was an inventor, educator, philosopher, mathematician and a universal librarian. He made several significant contributions to the library profession. A fundamental contribution made by him, is the Five Laws of Library Science. He formulated the Five Laws of Library Science in 1928 and published these in his famous book entitled, “Five Laws of Library Science” in 1931. He owes the First Law to Prof. Edward N. Ross, his mathematics teacher, and the other laws were enunciated by Ranganathan himself.

Five Laws of Library Science

Illustration: Five Laws of Library Science

The Five Laws of Library Science are the most influential concept in the field of library science. They are fundamental and discuss the basic philosophy of library science. These laws provide scientific basis and general principles which serve as guidelines to librarians in organizing and managing information products and services.

The Five Laws given by Ranganathan are:

  • Books are for use.
  • Every reader his book.
  • Every book its reader.
  • Save the time of the reader.
  • Library is a growing organism.

These laws convey the fundamental philosophy of library science and convey a deep understanding of libraries. The basic tenet of these laws is to unite users with their desired information.

Implications of Five Laws of Library Science

Let us now discuss in detail these five laws and their implications in library science.

Books Are for Use (First Law)

  • The First Law of Library Science is simple and states a self-evident truth. In ancient and medieval periods, the use of books was limited, and the emphasis was on storage and preservation rather than on use. The libraries were regarded as institutions for preserving the books. With the onset of post-industrial society, the concept of modern library came into being.
  • The library is now regarded as a service institution to serve the social information needs of its users. Ranganathan did not reject the notion, that preservation and storage were important. But he asserted that the purpose of such activities was to promote the use of books.
  • By emphasizing on the use of books, he focused attention on access-related issues such as location, building, library hours, book selection, library staff, etc. Ranganathan suggests following methods for maximizing the use of books.

Implications of the First Law

Library Location

A Library must be located in the midst of its users. If it is a public library, it should be located in the heart of the city. If it is an academic library, it would be wise to locate it centrally to enable accessibility to all the students. The surroundings must be free from noise and other disturbances which impede the use of library resources.

Library Hours

The timings of the library depend upon the community it serves. The Law implies that the library be kept open for as long as it is possible. Opening and closing hours of the library should be adjusted to ensure maximum utilization of library resources.

Library Furniture

Library furniture should be comfortable, functional and easy to use. The Law states that best reading facilities should be provided, like sufficient lights, fans and soundproof floor. This law enforces that the height of the book racks should be short enough, so that books in the topmost shelf can easily be picked by a person of normal height standing on the floor. Tables and chairs should be comfortable to the user.

Book Selection

Book selection should meet the needs of the present and potential users. The selection should also consider physical appearance of the books and ease of handling. The books should be kept clean and in good condition. Worn out and obsolete books should be weeded out from the library collection from time to time.

Library Staff

The First Law has the most vital effect on the library staff. Assisting the users to find and use library resources is the responsibility of the library staff, as most of the users do not know how to use the resources. To know the needs of the users, and teaching them use of library resources, is an essential task of library staff. In order to put library material to maximum use, qualified staff in proper numbers with suitable status and emoluments is required. The staff should cultivate service attitude towards readers.