Dr. S.R. Ranganathan's Five Laws of Library Science, first published in 1931, are the fundamental contributions that provide a scientific and philosophical foundation for all library practices. These laws are considered normative principles from which all library activities can be deduced. While they were formulated in the context of traditional libraries, their underlying values ensure they remain relevant and can be continuously reinterpreted for the changing information world. In the modern context, "books" are understood to mean documents or information, and "readers" are understood as users.
First Law: Books are for Use
This simple statement represents a revolutionary shift from the historical emphasis on preservation to one of utilization. In medieval times, books were often chained to shelves for security, but the First Law mandates that the primary purpose of a library's collection is to be put to maximum use by its patrons.
Implications for Library & Information Science:
- Library Location: To promote use, a library must be situated in a central, accessible, and quiet location. For a university, this means being the geographical "heart" of the campus.
- Working Hours: The library's operating hours must be convenient for the majority of its users, staying open when they are free from other activities.
- Library Building and Furniture: The building should be functional and aesthetically pleasing, with comfortable furniture that encourages frequent visits. This law strongly implies the need for an open-access system, allowing users direct contact with the books.
- Staff: Library staff are crucial to fulfilling this law. They must be professionally qualified, courteous, cheerful, and helpful. The staff's knowledge and positive attitude are key factors in promoting the use of the library's resources.
Second Law: Every Reader His/Her Book
This law, also expressed as "books for all," champions the universalization and democratization of library service. It asserts that every citizen has a fundamental right to access knowledge, moving away from the historical practice of serving only a privileged few.
Implications for Library & Information Science:
- Obligation of the State: The state has a responsibility to establish a comprehensive library system through legislation and adequate financial support. This system should include public, academic, and special libraries to serve all categories of people.
- Obligation of the Library Authority: The library must judiciously select books based on a systematic understanding of user requirements, since no library can acquire everything. It must also employ adequate and competent staff to provide reference service, which is critical to helping every reader find their book.
- Resource Sharing: Because no single library can be self-sufficient, this law implies the necessity of resource-sharing networks among libraries to satisfy all user demands.
- Obligation of the Reader: This law also places a responsibility on the reader to follow library rules, such as returning books on time, so as not to deprive other users.
Third Law: Every Book Its Reader
While the second law focuses on the reader, the third law is book-oriented. It asserts that every document in a library must find its appropriate user, as an unused book is a wasted investment. The librarian's duty is to proactively connect resources with the people who need them.
Implications for Library & Information Science:
- Open Access: This is the most significant implication of the third law. An open-access system allows readers to browse the shelves and discover books they might not have known existed, thereby increasing the chance that every book finds its reader. This requires diligent shelf maintenance and clear guides.
- Well-Designed Catalogue: The library catalogue must be thoughtfully designed with effective cross-references and added entries to cater to the various ways readers search for information.
- Promotional Activities: The library should actively promote its collection through methods such as displaying new acquisitions, distributing book lists, and organizing exhibitions on topical themes to attract potential users.
- Reference Service: Personalized assistance from library staff is vital to connect every book with its potential reader.
Fourth Law: Save the Time of the Reader
This law emphasizes efficiency and user satisfaction. It recognizes that users are often busy people and their intellectual interest can be fleeting; if their need is not met quickly, it may vanish.
Implications for Library & Information Science:
- Open Access and Efficient Arrangement: An open-access system with a well-organized and classified collection saves a great deal of the reader's time compared to a closed-access system, which involves a cumbersome "trial and error" process.
- Effective Catalogue: A well-designed catalogue that meets various user approaches is a major time-saving tool.
- Modern Circulation Systems: The law advocates for efficient and simplified issue and return processes, such as those using barcodes or RFID technology, to reduce the time users spend at the circulation desk.
Fifth Law: The Library is a Growing Organism
The final law states that a library is a dynamic, not a static, institution. It is constantly growing in three key areas: its collection (books), its users (readers), and its staff. Ranganathan distinguished between "child growth" (rapid physical expansion) and "adult growth" (qualitative change, such as replacing old materials with new ones).
Implications for Library & Information Science:
- Planning for Physical Growth: The library building must be planned with provisions for future expansion, both horizontally and vertically, to accommodate the growth of the collection and the number of readers.
- Weeding the Collection: The growth of the book stock implies that older, obsolete, and less-used books must be periodically weeded out to make room for current and relevant ones. This is an essential part of the library's "adult growth".
- Adaptable Systems: Classification schemes and catalogue systems must be flexible enough to accommodate new subjects and allow for the easy interpolation of new entries to keep pace with the growing universe of knowledge.
- Staff Development: As the library grows, the staff must also grow in number and in skill. Staff members need continuous opportunities for professional development to meet the changing demands of the library and its users.
Wider Interpretation of the Five Laws in the Digital Age
The Five Laws have proven to be remarkably enduring and are widely seen as relevant in the modern information environment of the Internet, the World Wide Web, and digital libraries. Their language may be seen as restrictive, but their underlying values allow them to be continuously reinterpreted for the future.
For example, Alireza Noruzi demonstrated how the laws can be applied to the Web:
- Web resources are for use: Information on the web serves no purpose if it is not used. This law challenges password-protected systems or fees that restrict access.
- Every user his/her Web resource: Every person has a right to information on the Web, and it is the duty of webmasters and search engines to meet these needs.
- Every Web resource its user: Webmasters should create content with specific users in mind and ensure that users can easily find that content.
- Save the time of the user: This demands efficient website design, fast servers, and effective search and navigation tools to help users find information quickly.
- The Web is a growing organism: The Web is constantly changing and growing, which requires flexibility and continuous updating of skills and systems to manage this dynamic environment.