Running head: S.R. Ranganathan: The Father of Library Science 1

S.R. Ranganathan: The Father of Library Science

Kristina B. Knox

University of North Texas

S.R. Ranganathan: The Father of Library Science 2

Abstract

This paper discusses the life and major accomplishments of S. R. Ranganathan, who is also

known as the “Father of Library Science.” Ranganathan is most well-known for his Five Laws of

Library Science and the creation of Colon Classification. These two contributions have greatly

influenced the field of library science over the years and continue to be utilized as the field

changes. This paper will discuss S.R. Ranganathan’s early life history, the five laws of library

science and its effects on school libraries, and the colon classification system and its effects on

cataloging.

Keywords: S.R. Ranganathan, five laws of library science, colon classification, school libraries,

cataloging

S.R. Ranganathan: The Father of Library Science 3

S. R. Ranganathan: The Father of Library Science

S. R. Ranganathan was a librarian in India for over 20 years and has been known as the

“Father of Library Science”. As an educated mathematician first, he brought a unique and highly

intelligent mindset to the profession. Because of this fact, he used the scientific method to

observe and research what he thought were problem areas in the field in order to find solutions

and make them better. Among those solutions were the Five Laws of Library Science and Colon

Classification. Ranganathan’s five laws emphasized the provision of enhanced service to patrons

and provided librarians with the guidelines to do so. His colon classification system was unlike

any other classification system that had already been developed. It used a faceted structure and

was considered very innovative for the time. These two contributions were just a few of the

ideas that Ranganathan had during this lifetime that revolutionized the field of library science.

(See Appendix B for a list of his major works.) This paper will discuss the development of both

of these ideas and the major impacts that they had on the field of library science, school libraries,

and cataloging.

S.R. Ranganathan: The Father of Library Science 4

Figure 1 Ranganathan as a Student. This is S.R. Ranganathan as a Bachelor student in 1913.

Retrieved from http://www.isibang.ac.in/-library/portal/Pages/Photo/sm04.JPG

Early Life History

Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan was born on August 9th, 1892 in Madras, India. As a

child, he was educated by his grandfather, who was also a schoolteacher. Ranganathan worked

hard and was an excellent student, and because of his good grades, he received one of the few

openings in Madras Christian College in 1909. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree in 1913,

(See Figure 1) and went on to receive his master’s in mathematics in 1916. In 1917,

Ranganathan received his teaching certificate from Teacher’s College and began teaching

physics and math class at Presidency College in Madras in 1921. During this time, he was

convinced by a friend to apply for the position of Madras University librarian because of the

salary it offered, even though he had no real interest in the job or training in the field.

Ranganathan was very surprised when he actually received the job. (See Figure 2.)

Figure 2 Welcome as First Madras University Librarian. S.R. Ranganathan became the first

librarian at Madras University in 1924. Retrieved from

http://www.isibang.ac.in/-library/portal/Pages/Photo/mu04.JPG

S.R. Ranganathan: The Father of Library Science 5

A few short weeks after beginning his librarian job, Ranganathan went back to

Presidency College and pleaded for his old job back. After being in the classroom around

students, he found the quietness of the library rather boring. Luckily for him, his previous

employer encouraged him to go to London for his library training but said he would hold his old

job for him just in case he had not changed his mind when he returned. It was this time in

London that inspired some of his greatest works and ignited his passion for the field of library

science (Garfield, 1984, p.38). According to Kent, he often said that “he never wished to be a

librarian, but Providence had made him one, for which he never regretted later in life” (1978,

p.4). (See Appendix A for a graphic timeline of his life.)

Five Laws of Library Science & their Impact on Schools

During the 9 months that he spent in London for library training, Ranganathan visited

many libraries observing and studying the various ways that they operated. He was really

intrigued with the sense of community found at each of the libraries and the way they served

every level of the society they were a part of equally. While he was impressed with this aspect of

the libraries, he did witness some aspects that concerned him. According to Garfield,

Ranganathan was disappointed in the fact that the libraries didn’t seem to have common

principals that they all used to determine the types of services that they offered or routines and

procedures that they used (1984, p. 39). Over the next few years, he used this experience and the

scientific method, to reorganize the Madras University library, and in the process, develop the

Five Laws of Library Science, which he published in 1931. Those laws are:

1. Books are for Use

2. Every reader, his book

3. Every book, its reader

S.R. Ranganathan: The Father of Library Science 6

4. Save the time of the reader

5. A library is a growing organism

(Gorman, 1998, p. 20)

These five laws provide common principles for librarians to use when making decisions about

book collections, services for patrons, cataloging systems, etc. (Kabir, 2003, p. 453)

First Law of Library Science

The first law of library science is “books are for use”. Ranganathan emphasized the fact

that libraries were not just places to preserve and store books but a place for people to access and

use the information and books found there (McMenemy, 2007, p, 98). When thinking about this

law, librarians in school libraries must be strategic in selecting books and building collections

that their patrons will actually use. School librarians should advertise new books, and online

resources that they have in order to promote use of them by teachers and students. (Chandel &

Rai, 2015, p.220) It is important to weed collections on a regular basis as well to make sure that

the resources that you have in the library are actually what the students and teachers need or

want. Another aspect of the school library that falls under this law is the availability of the

resources to patrons. This can include the hours that the library is open, access to library

resources online, and open-access shelving (Yucht, 2001, p.38) According to Opara, “the task

before the librarian is to ensure that the collections of the library are accessed and maximally

used” (2017, p. 5).

Second Law of Library Science

The second law is “every reader, his book”. While there are many facets of this law,

Ranganathan emphasized that as librarians, we must fight for our reader’s right to access the

S.R. Ranganathan: The Father of Library Science 7

information that they are looking for. It is important, especially as a school librarian, that we do

not let our own feelings and beliefs about a topic, book or resource cause us to go against this

law. (McMenemy, 2001, p. 98-99). Another aspect of this law is making sure we have a diverse

collection of books that represents our entire community. In a school library, it is important to

include books and resources of various reading levels, subject matter, and learning styles in order

for all patrons to find a resource that works best for them (Yucht, 2001, p.38). Due to the vast

growth in the amount of electronic resources and networks that are available today, school

libraries can utilize resource sharing between libraries instead of buying resources in order to

provide patrons with materials that are not used frequently (Chandel & Rai, 2015, p.220)

Third Law of Library Science

The third law is “every book, its reader”. This law can be divided into several parts. The

first part is focusing on the readers. If we get to know the patrons that come into our library and

what they need or what, as well as the school curriculum, then we can help them find the books

or resources that they are looking for. As a school librarian, it is also important to know our

collection so that we can use that knowledge plus the knowledge of our patrons to suggest other

resources that may not be exactly what they are looking for but will also meet their needs and

maybe offer a new perspective or idea to enhance their learning. (McMenemy, 2007, p.99). This

law also touches on the classification and cataloging systems that libraries have in place. It is

important to have an efficient and user-friendly cataloging system in place in order to for books

to be found by the patrons during a search. It is equally important that the resource information

that is put into the system when classifying a resource is accurate and detailed. All of this allows

patrons to find and use the books and resources in the library at a increased level (Opara, 2017,

p.7).

S.R. Ranganathan: The Father of Library Science 8

Fourth Law of Library Science

The fourth law is “save the time of the reader.” According to Holt, Ranganathan knew

that the keys to the improvement of people, their families, and the economic development of

nations were literacy and knowledge (2010, p. 66). He emphasized that importance of libraries

making decision about all policies, procedures, and systems with this law in mind (Gorman,

1998, p.21). This law actually covers many aspects of the library from the cataloging system we

have in place to having a skilled staff of librarians to decrease the amount of time that it takes to

find resources for patrons. The resources themselves need to be organized on the shelves in a

way that makes it easy for patrons to find what they are looking for. (Opara, 2017, p.7-8). As a

school librarian, it is important that we teach our students information literacy skills, so they are

effective at finding the information that they are looking for in a timely manner. We can also do

our part to have shelf markers in place, library maps and guides available and signs that guide

our teachers and students to find their items quicker (Yucht, 2001, p. 39).

Fifth Law of Library Science

The fifth law of library science is “The library is a growing organism”. This law

specifically refers to change, flexibility, and the ability to adapt. In the technology era that we are

in, information is being created and shared at a much faster rate than ever before. It is important

that libraries are able to keep up by updating their resources, technology systems and services

that are offered. As libraries update, it is important for librarians to continuing growing as well

in order to develop the skills they need to effectively deliver the new services to patrons (Opara,

2017, p. 8). This is especially important in school libraries where teachers and students typically

have only one librarian to depend on to help them find the newest and latest books or

information on a topic. There are some challenges faced with this law as well. While libraries

S.R. Ranganathan: The Father of Library Science 9

begin to offer more electronic resources and technology services, they must make space for

computers in the library. A balance must be found between technology space and the space for

print materials that is both inviting to users and conducive for learning (McMenemy, 2007, p.

100). Ranganathan came up with these five laws over eighty years ago and even though they

were consisted of few words, they held so much depth and can still be applied to our libraries

today.

Colon Classification & Its Impact Cataloging

Back in 1924, when Ranganathan was in London for his library training, he became very

interested in classification systems. As he studied them, he found many commonalities between

mathematics and classification, in general. The classification system that was currently in use

was the Dewey Decimal system, in which Ranganathan didn’t find the flexibility he thought was

necessary in order to classify all of the new and specialized subjects that had come after World

War I (Satija, 2017, p.292). One day in London, he went to Selfridge’s department store and

watched a demonstration of a Meccano toy kit. As he watching the salesperson create various

toys by using different combinations of the same strips, bolts, and nuts in the kit, he was inspired

to create the colon classification system. In this system, he would use a mathematical

configuration in order to classify all facets of a subject (Kabir, 2002, p. 456). For his system to

work, Ranganathan came up with basic concepts, or facets, that he felt all knowledge was made

up of. He would classify a resource by freely combining various facets that he felt the subject

contained and put colons between them. This would require a cataloger to analyze a subject to

decide what facets described it best and then to synthesize the call number by putting the facets

together (Garfield, 1984, p. 40). When he returned to Madras University in 1925, he put this new

system into place in the library and was able to see both the pros and cons firsthand. It was in

S.R. Ranganathan: The Father of Library Science 10

1933 that he published his first edition of Colon Classification (Satija, 2017, p. 292).

Ranganathan’s contribution to the field of library science, and cataloging especially, is not the

actual system of colon classification itself but what his ideas in developing the system did to

inspire others in the theory of indexing and classification. (Garfield, 1984, p. 45) According to

Kabir, “there has been increased application of Ranganathan’s principles of colon classification

in indexing, the creation of electronic databases, and in the development of integrated systems

(2003, p. 456.)

Conclusion

S.R. Ranganathan was a librarian at the Madras library for over 20 years and he retired in

1945. Once retired, he continued this research and continued to share his knowledge of library

science in order to develop the profession and enhance libraries around the world. In 1972, he

died at the age of 80 and it was said that he worked until the day he died.

S.R. Ranganathan: The Father of Library Science 11

Figure 3. S. R. Ranganathan. This painting was reproduced in a Hindu newspaper as the

community remembered his contributions to library science. Retrieved from

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-in-school/remembering-the-father-of-library-sciences-

in-india/article5013358.ece

In conclusion, S. R. Ranganathan has made a radical difference in the field of library

science, cataloging and school libraries with his development of the five laws of library science

and the colon classification system. His accomplishments are still utilized, remembered, and

honored today. (See Figure 3.) Michael Gorman summed it up best when he said:

Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan (1892-1972) of India is the unquestioned giant of 20th-

century library science. He tackled all aspects of the profession of librarianship and

always added his own individualistic and, sometimes, quirky perception of the subject.

He revolutionized the theory and practice of classification. Though his own classification

system was never widely adopted, its influences can be seen throughout the practice of

information retrieval, in the modern revisions of the Dewey Decimal Classification

scheme, and in such pioneering attempts as the PRECIS subject heading system. If for

nothing else, he deserves to be long remembered for his “Five laws of library science”.

The laws are the best summary of what libraries are, or should be, about. There is no

facet of the practice of librarianship to which these laws cannot be applied. They

represent a lifetime of thought on our profession distilled into universalisms. In terms of

cataloging they should be seen as the basis for our progress towards new and better

cataloging codes, classification schemes, and automated systems. (1980, p. 203)

S.R. Ranganathan: The Father of Library Science 12

References

Canva. (n.d.). Clipart and template for graphic timeline. Retrieved from https://www.canva.com/

Chandel, A. S. & Rai, A (2015). Revisiting contributions of Ranganathan in collection

development. Annals of Library & Information Studies, 62(4), 217-221.

Colon Classification book cover, (n.d.). [Photograph] Retrieved from

http://books.rediff.com/book/colon-classification--6th-edition-/9788170004233

Five Laws of Library Science book cover, (n.d.). [Photograph]. Retrieved from

https://www.amazon.in/Five-Laws-Library-Science/dp/8170004993

Garfield, E. (1984). A tribute to S.R. Ranganathan, the father of Indian library science: Part 1 life

and works. Essays of an Information Scientist, 7(6), 37-44.

Garfield, E. (1984). A tribute to S. R. Ranganathan, the father of Indian library science: Part 2

contribution to Indian and international library science. Essays of an Information

Scientist, 7(7), 45-49.

Gorman, M. (1980). Let us now praise: A reflective look at six persons who greatly influenced

the art of cataloguing. American Libraries, 11, 201-203.

Gorman, M. (1998). The five laws of library science: Then and now. School Library Journal,

44(7), 20-23.

Holt, G. (2010). Saving time: Ranganathan and the librarian as teacher. Public Library

Quarterly, 29(1), 64-77. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/01616840903563024

Kent, A. (1978). S.R. Ranganathan: A short biography. In the Encyclopedia of Library and

Information Science (Volume 25). New York: Marcel Dekker Inc.

S.R. Ranganathan: The Father of Library Science 13

Kabir, A. F (2003). Ranganathan: A universal librarian. Journal of Educational Media &

Library Sciences, 40(4), 453-459.

Knox, K. (2018). Timeline of S.R. Ranganathan. [Graphic]. www.canva.com.

Opara, U. N. (2017). Empowering library users through the five laws of library science. Library

Philosophy & Practice, 1-14.

McMenemy D. (2007). Ranganathan’s relevance in the 21st century. Library Review, 56(2), 97-

101. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1108/00242530710730268

Padma Shri award, (n.d.). [Photograph]. Retrieved from

https://anilcm.wordpress.com/tag/padma-shri/

Ranganathan as a student, 1913. [Photograph] in Dr. S.R. Ranganathan Access Portal. Retrieved

from http://www.isibang.ac.in/~library/portal/Pages/Photo/sm04.JPG

Satija, M. P. (2017). Colon Classification (CC). Knowledge Organization, 44(4), 291-307.

S. R. Ranganathan. (n.d.). [Photograph]. Retrieved from

http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~aubrycp/project/Pio100cx.html

Ramakrishna, A. (n.d.). S.R. Ranganathan. [Painting]. Retrieved from

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-in-school/remembering-the-father-of-library-

sciences-in-india/article5013358.ece

S.R. Ranganathan stamp, (n.d.). [Photograph] Retrieved from

http://www.stampsathi.in/php/public/stamps-gallery.php?page=171

University of Madras, (n.d.). [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://edulekha.com/university-of-

madras-online-courses/

S.R. Ranganathan: The Father of Library Science 14

Welcome as First Madras University Librarian, (1924). [Photograph] in Dr. S.R. Ranganathan

Access Portal Retrieved from

http://www.isibang.ac.in/~library/portal/Pages/Photo/mu04.JPG

Yucht, A.H. (2001). Guiding principles. Teacher Librarian, 28(4), 38-39.

S.R. Ranganathan: The Father of Library Science 15

Appendix A

Graphic Timeline

Figure A1. Timeline of the Life of S.R. Ranganathan, images from top to bottom clockwise: S.R.

Ranganathan, University of Madras, Five Laws of Library Science book cover, S.R.

Ranganathan stamp, Padma Shri award, Colon Classification book cover. Clipart used with

permission from Canva, https://about.canva.com/terms-of-use/.

S.R. Ranganathan: The Father of Library Science 16

Appendix B

Bibliography

Over his lifetime, S.R. Ranganathan wrote 60 books and over 2,000 articles. Here is a list of

some of his major works.

Ranganathan, S. R. (1931). The five laws of library science. Madras: Madras Library

Association.

Ranganathan, S. R. (1933). Colon classification. Madras: Madras Library Association.

Ranganathan, S. R. (1934). Classified catalogue code. Madras: Madras Library Association.

Ranganathan, S. R. (1935). Library administration. Madras: The Madras Library Association.

Ranganathan, S. R. (1937). Prolegomena to library classification. London: Library Association.

Ranganathan, S. R., & University of Delhi. (1947). Preface to library science. Delhi: University

of Delhi.

Ranganathan, S. R. (1950). Library catalogue: Fundamentals and procedure. Madras: Madras

Library Association

Ranganathan, S. R. (1955). Heading and canons: Comparative study of five catalogue codes.

Madras: S. Viswanathan.

Ranganathan, S. R. (1962). Library manual, for library authorities, librarians, and honorary

library workers. Bombay, New York: Asia Publication House.

Ranganathan, S. R., & Gopinath, M. A. (1966). Library book selection. Bombay: Asia

Publishing House.

S.R. Ranganathan: The Father of Library Science 17

Appendix C

Reference Interview

Greg Hardin has been a reference librarian since December of 2014. In the reference interview

that was provided in INFO 5208, he gave an overview discussion of the UNT library webpage,

how students could use it, and what they would find there. Mr. Hardin went into great detail

explaining how to use the website for research. Some of the features that students have access to

are the online databases of journals and books, Refworks for citation help and the materials

delivery service. Another great feature that is found on the UNT library website are the libguides

that have been created for each INFO class. These guides give students specific resources to use

in beginning their research that have been handpicked for the project in that class. Overall, the

the reference interview is very helpful for students and is time well spent.

Code Words

Reference Interview – “I don’t know”

APA Overview Unit 1 – “APA sample paper”

APA Overview Unit 2 – “Reference”

APA Overview Unit 3 – “Figures”

S.R. Ranganathan: The Father of Library Science 18