S. R. Ranganathan, known as the “the father of library science in India,” and respected by librarians all over the world, proposed five laws of library science. Many librarians worldwide accept them as the foundations of their philosophy (e.g. Koehler et al., 2000)
These laws are:
- Books are for use.
- Every reader his [or her] book.
- Every book its reader.
- Save the time of the User.
- The library is a growing organism.
The Five Laws of Library Science are some of the most influential concepts in that field. Since they were published in 1931, these five laws “have remained a centerpiece of professional values…” (Rubin 2004). These basic theories of Library Science continue to directly affect the development of this discipline and the service of all libraries.
S. R. Ranganathan’s early education was of a mathematic background. This systematic way of thinking, he later applied to his work in library science, most notably his work on library classification and administration. (Indian Statistical Institute Library, et al. 2007) “From the middle of the nineteenth century, librarians in the west felt the need and started emphasizing the importance of enhanced services to library patrons. Formulation of the Five Laws of Library Science at long last, provided a solid and lasting foundation in this direction.” (Kabir 2003)
