Ranganathan's

Ranganathan's Portrait in DRTC, ISI-BC
Born	Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan 9 August 1892(1892-08-09) Sirkali, Tamil Nadu
Died	27 September 1972 (aged 80) Bangalore, India
Occupation	Author, Academic, Mathematician, Librarian
Nationality	Indian
Genres	Library Science, Documentation, Information Science
Notable work(s)	Prolegomena to Library Classification The Five Laws of Library Science Colon Classification Ramanujan: the Man and the Mathematician Classified Catalogue Code: With Additional Rules for Dictionary Catalogue Code Library Administration Indian Library Manifesto Library Manual for Library Authorities, Librarians, and Library Workers Classification and Communication Headings and Canons; Comparative Study of Five Catalogue Codes

Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan Listen (help·info) (Kannada: ಎಸ್. ಆರ್. ರಂಗನಾಥನ್, ಶಿಯಾಳಿ ರಾಮಾಮೃತ ರಂಗನಾಥನ್, Shiyali rāmāmruta raṅganāthaṉ ^?) (Tamil: சீகாழி/சீர்காழி ராமாமிருத ரங்கநாதன், ciyali rāmāmiruta raṅkanātaṉ ^?) (August 9, 1892, Sirkali, Tamil NaduBangalore) was a mathematician and librarian from India. His most notable contributions to the field were his five laws of library science and the development of the first major analytico-synthetic classification system, the colon classification. He is considered to be the father of library science, documentation, and information science in India and is widely known throughout the rest of the world for his fundamental thinking in the field. – September 27, 1972, 

 Education

Ranganathan, born on 9 August 1892, came from a moderate background in British-ruled India. He was born in the small town of Shiyali (now known as Sirkazhi), in the state of Tamil Nadu in South India.

Ranganathan began his professional life as a mathematician; he earned B.A. and M.A. degrees in mathematics from Madras Christian College in his home province, and then went on to earn a teaching license. His lifelong goal was to teach mathematics, and he was successively a member of the mathematics faculties at universities in Mangalore, Coimbatore and Madras (all within the span of five years). As a mathematics professor, he published a handful of papers, mostly on the history of mathematics and his career as an educator was somewhat hindered by a handicap of stammering (a difficulty Ranganathan gradually overcame in his professional life). The Government of India awarded Padmashri to Dr. S.R. Ranganathan for valuable contributions to Library Science.

Dr. Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan (1892–1972) of India was an inventor, educator, librarian, and a philosopher. His early education was of a mathematics background. Using this systematic way of thinking, he later applied this to his work in library science. His most notably work was on library classification and administration.^[2] He went abroad to study librarianship at the University College of London, working under W.C. Berwick Sayers.

He was a university librarian and professor of library science at Benares Hindu University (1945–47) and professor of library science at the University of Delhi (1947–55). The last appointment made him director of the first Indian school of librarianship to offer higher degrees. He was president of the Indian Library Association from 1944–53. In 1957 he was elected an honorary member of the Federation Internationale de Documentation(FID) and was made a vice president for life of the Library Association of Great Britain.^[3]

Ranganathan made fundamental contributions to world library and information profession.

These laws are:

1. Books are for use.
2. Every reader his [or her] book.
3. Every book its reader.
4. Save the time of the reader.
5. The library is a growing organism.

The Five Laws of Library Science are some of the most influential concepts in the field of library science. Since they were published in 1931, these five laws “have remained a centerpiece of professional values...”.^[4] In fact, these basic theories of Library Science continue to directly affect the development of this discipline and the service of all libraries.

 First law: Books are for Use

The first law constitutes the basis for the library services. Ranganathan observed that books were often chained to prevent their removal and that the emphasis was on storage and preservation rather than use. He 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 them. Without the use of materials, there is little value in the item. By emphasizing use, Ranganathan refocused the attention of the field to access-related issues, such as the library's location, loan policies, hours and days of operation, as well as such mundanities as library furniture and the quality of staffing.^[4]

Second Law: Every reader his or her book

This law suggests that every member of the community should be able to obtain materials needed. Ranganathan felt that all individuals from all social environments were entitled to library service, and that the basis of library use was education, to which all were entitled. These entitlements were not without some important obligations for both libraries/librarians and library patrons. Librarians should have excellent first-hand knowledge of the people to be served. Collections should meet the special interests of the community, and libraries should promote and advertise their services extensively to attract a wide range of users. ^[4]

Third Law: Every book its reader

This principle is closely related to the second law but it focuses on the item itself, suggesting that each item in a library has an individual or individuals who would find that item useful. Ranganathan argued that the library could devise many methods to ensure that each item finds it appropriate reader. One method involved the basic rules for access to the collection, most notably the need for open shelving.^[4]

Fourth Law: Save the time of the reader

This law is a recognition that part of the excellence of library service is its ability to meet the needs of the library user efficiently. To this end, Ranganathan recommended the use of appropriate business methods to improve library management. He observed that centralizing the library collection in one location provided distinct advantages. He also noted that excellent staff would not only include those who possess strong reference skills, but also strong technical skills in cataloging, cross-referencing, ordering, accessioning, and the circulation of materials.^[4]

Fifth Law: The library is a growing organism

This law focused more on the need for internal change than on changes in the environment itself. He argued that library organizations must accommodate growth in staff, the physical collection, and patron use. This involved allowing for growth in the physical building, reading areas, shelving, and in space for the catalog.^[4]