The Increasing Relevance of the Five Laws of Ranganathan

Abstract

The Five Laws enunciated by Ranganathanare : Books are for use; Every reader his book; Every book its reader; Save the time of the reader; Lirary is a growing organismLater versions of these laws replaced books by 'documents' and then by 'information.' As is evident from these laws Ranganathan's focus was on 'the user.' The first four laws very clearly point this out. In fact, the first law 'Books are for use' is the summum bonum of librarianship. The second, third and fourth laws are only derivatives of the first law. Thus the First Law complimented by the rest) is the ultimate in librarianship; it explains the very purpose of the library. Justifies the very existence of libraries, and argues for professionalism in librarianship. Ranganathan called the Five Laws as the foundation of librarianship. It is in fact more than the foundation. The laws are the foundation, the structure, the exterior, the interior and everything.

http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dbit.12.5.3065