THE FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE Or ‘The main motto of a library is best exemplified by Dr.S.R Ranganathan’s five laws of library science’

THE FIVE LAWS OF LIBRARY SCIENCE

Or ‘The main motto of a library is best exemplified by Dr.S.R Ranganathan’s five laws of library science’

Introduction:

Five laws of Library Science are called the set of norms, percepts, and guides to good practice in librarianship.  Dr. Shiyali Ramamrita Rangnathan fomulated in 1928, the five laws of library Science.

Five laws of library science:

The laws of library Science are as follows:

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. Library is a growing organism

R. These laws are now discussed:

1. Books are for use: Recognition of this law helps in removing restriction on the use of book. The first law is to be achieved through the following factors:

a) Services, usages and accessibility:The greatness of a library is determined by its services, usages and accessibility. The large library should open their door to the readers on holidays for sometimes.

b) Publicity: The librarian should give fair publicity and should inform his/her clientele about new materials. Latest arrival should be displayed.

c) Building: The library building should be attracting. Exterior should be inviting and interior should be well organized and decorated such a way so that it could fascinate the readers or users.

d) Equipment: The library equipment should be neat and attractive. The bookracks should not so high. Chairs and tables of reading room should be suitable for continuous reading.

2. Every reader his or her books:The service library should amplify the users demand and enhance the utility of book usages. The librarian should extend the book usages through superfluous books. The second law is achieved by the following factors:

a) Book for all: Book should be for every type of readers irrespectively of age, sex, race, caste, religion etc.

b) Book selection: Book selection should be equally for normal people and physical handicapped. Book has also to take care for neo-literate.

 c) Inter-Library loan: The entire book resources of a country can be made available through the inter-library co-operation.

3. Every book its reader: The third law ‘Every book its reader’ points out that ultimately the book is meant for reader and not for filing stack room. The third law is to be achieved by the following factors:

a) Proper cataloguing: Proper cataloguing can also help in the use of books. A classified catalogue with analytical entries help reader find out proper books.

b) Book selection: Book selection should be for all users. Books which not likely to be demanded by readers should not be selected for procurement.

4. Save the time of the readers:The methods of classification, cataloguing, issuing of books, proper shelving of books etc, all play an important role in saving the time of the readers. This law is to be achieved by the following factors:

a) Classification: Books should be classified as quickly as possible after accessioning so that books go to the shelves without any time lag.

b) Cataloguing: A classified catalogue will be found more useful than a dictionary catalogue, practically in special and academic libraries. But dictionary catalogue is more useful in public library.

c) Charging methods: Librarian should avoid waste of reader’s time in charging or discharging counter. Newark or Brown method can be widely used in the libraries.

d) Shelving: To find out necessary book easily and together, librarian should shelving books in a systematic way.

e) Open access: Open access saves not only the time of the reader but also saves librarians also a lot of work.

5. Library is a growing organism:The growth is of three kinds and they are as follows:

a) Growth in the size

b) Growth in the number of reader

c) Growth in the staff

a) Growth in the size: Every library grows rapidly in size with the acquisition of new materials. Effort should therefore be made to control the unlimited growth in size by continuously weeding out old and no longer wanted books.

b) Growth in the number of reader: The growth in the number of reader shows how popular is the library and how well it is serving its clientele. Growth in membership does not depend merely on the numbers of books available in the library but chiefly on the services offered by the library.

c) Growth in staff: With the growth in size and growth in membership there has to be corresponding growth in the staff.

Conclusion:The librarian who would like to flourish his career and to be a successful librarian must keep the five laws of library Science in his mind. And the librarian who wants to maintain his library service must have to apply these in his/her library. These five laws may be considered as the main motto of library science as Dr.S.R Ranganathan said.