S. R. Ranganathan and Michael Gorman Amber Chastain Dr. Wendy Rickman LIBM 6320 Intro to Library October 31, 2011

“Take my hand, For I have passed this way, And know the truth.” Ranganathan, 1961 (as cited in Finks, 1992) Considered the father of Library Science in India Ranganathan worked as a professor of mathematics before working as a librarian at the University of Madras library. Ranganathan was head of the Indian Library Association from 1944 to Most notable achievements: Author of the Five Laws of Library Science Inventor of the Colon classification system S. R. RANGANATHAN (1892 – 1972) Photograph of Ranganathan, S.R. Retrieved from n_for_ias on October 28, 2011.

Colon Classification (CC) CC classifies all materials into 42 different categories. The categories are represented by numbers, letters, and greek lettering. A book is labeled by five different facets: Personality (,), Matter of Property (;), Energy (:), Space (.), and Time (’) (Kelsch, 2003). An example of a colon classification catalog number: 234;46:6.44’N7

1.Books are for use 2.Every reader, his/her book 3.Every book its reader 4.Save the time of the reader 5.The library is a growing organism Five Laws of Library Science Ranganathan, 1963 (as cited in Gorman, 1998) These five laws or “virtues” are still relevant to today’s library. One possible reason for the success of the five laws is Ranganathan’s ability to communicate so much with so few words.

Law # 1 Books are for use Ranganathan’s Five Laws of Library Science The library should be accessible – meaning the stacks should be open and all materials available for use both inside and outside the library. The library should maintain a user-friendly atmosphere, be open several hours a day, and hire a professional staff focused on customer service. (Personal Artwork. Law )

Law # 2 Every reader, his/her book The library should serve all patrons, no matter their age, race, or economical status. The library’s main purpose is education – something all are entitled to. It is the library’s responsibility to maintain a collection that reflects the interests of the various patrons it serves. Ranganathan’s Five Laws of Library Science (Personal Artwork. Law )

Law # 3 Every book its reader Ranganathan’s Five Laws of Library Science Just as every patron is looking for a particular book, in a sense, every book or material is looking for a particular patron. This law once again highlights the need for open stacks. It is the library’s responsibility to place the appropriate material in the patron’s hands and to promote what is in the collection (Gorman, 1998). (Personal Artwork. Law )

Law # 4 Save the time of the reader Ranganathan’s Five Laws of Library Science A good library must have comprehensive cataloging and a dependable circulation system. Qualified staff should be able to help patrons quickly and efficiently cross-reference materials. The library should be organized so that the average patron can easily locate the subject or material they seek in a timely manner. (Personal Artwork. Law )

Law # 5 The library is a growing organism Ranganathan’s Five Laws of Library Science The library must be willing to change and grow according to community needs, economical changes, and at times, the evolution of materials. The world is in a constant state of change – a successful library must be willing to grow according to its patrons’ needs. (Personal Artwork. Law )

MICHAEL GORMAN (1941 – present) Although born and raised in England, Gorman worked as a librarian at the University of Illinois and California State University. Gorman was president of the American Library Association from 2005 to Gorman has published several books and articles concerning the importance of books within the library setting. “Libraries are about service or they are about nothing” (Gorman, 1998). Photograph of Gorman, M. Retrieved from html on October 28, 2011.

Gorman published a revised Five Laws of Library Science bringing the historical values of Ranganathan’s five laws into modern day perspective. 1.Libraries serve humanity 2.Respect all forms by which knowledge is communicated 3.Use technology intelligently to enhance service 4.Protect free access to knowledge 5.Honor the past and create the future

Law #1 Libraries serve humanity Law # 2 Respect all forms by which knowledge is communicated Libraries and librarians should always strive to provide the best costumer service possible. A genuine willingness to serve patrons is an essential characteristic of a good librarian. No one form of communication, whether it be electronic or written text, should be ignored in the pursuit of knowledge. Gorman’s Revised Five Laws of Library Science

Law # 3 Use technology intelligently to enhance service Law # 4 Protect free access to knowledge Law # 5 Honor the past and create the future Gorman (1998) stated “I will use technology when it is useful, affordable, and cost effective.” Gorman warns against the naïve belief that quick and easy access to the Internet is equal to uncensored free knowledge. Balance between what is old and what is new is key to the success of the future library. Gorman’s Revised Five Laws of Library Science

References Finks, L. W. (1992). A centennial salute to Ranganathan. American Libraries, 23(7), 593. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Gorman, M. (1998). The five laws of library science then & now. School Library Journal, 44(7), 20. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Kelsch, S. (2003) Ranganathan’s Colon Classification in 1500 Words or Less. Retrieved from Personal Artwork [Law 1, Law 2, Law 3, Law 4, Law 5]. October JPEG files. [Photograph of Gorman, M.] (Accessed on Oct. 28, 2011). Keynote Address: From Card Catalogues to WebPACs: Celebrating Cataloguing in the 20th Century. Retrieved from [Photograph of Ranganathan, S.R.] (Accessed Oct. 28, 2011) Boxes and Arrows webite. Retrieved from