Dr Meghna Dhar
Today is 129th Birth Anniversary of The Father of Library Science and Father of Library Movement in India, an author, academician, mathematician and librarian, regarded as a key figure in 20th century librarianship. Dr Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan Ayyar was born on August 9, 1892 at Shiyali (Madras), Tanjavoor District of Tamil Nadu. His birth anniversary is officially celebrated on 12th August as National Librarian’s Day throughout India. Padmashri Dr Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan Ayyar, a renowned scholar commonly named as Dr S R Ranganathan, was a true disciple of Library Science, a proud philosopher and guide to thousands of library professionals in India. His contributions had worldwide influence.
Ranganathan was educated at the Hindu High School in Shiyali, at Madras Christian College (where he qualified BA and MA in mathematics in 1913 and 1916 respectively), and at Teachers College, Saidapet. In 1917, he joined the faculty of Government College, Mangalore. He subsequently taught at Government College, Coimbatore in 1920 and at Presidency College, University of Madras at 1921-23. In 1924, he was appointed as the Librarian of Madras University, a post he held for twenty years. As a newly appointed librarian he travelled to London’s School of Librarianship, England and toured over one hundred libraries in the UK. He had his basic grinding in librarianship in UK. He was the Founder Secretary of Madras Library Association (MALA), which started Mobile Library Service on 21st October in 1931 for serving the villages within a radius of 82 miles from town Kumaramanglam at Mannargudi, Tamil Nadu to liquidate illiteracy among rural folk and to develop interest in book among them. The bullock cart’ used for this Mobile Library was designed by S V Pillai, an engineer. His Model Library Bill was also circulated by MALA to various local bodies viz District Board, Municipalities, Talukas and Panchayats in Madras.Yet another service initiated by MALA under the leadership of Dr S R Ranganathan for the first time in 1931 was starting of Prison Library Service. With efforts of MALA in 1933, Local Railway Companies at Madras agreed to charge half parcel rate for book exchanged between libraries and readers. Earlier as Librarian of Madras University, he had extendedDoor Delivery System to Teachers of Affiliated Colleges in 1928. He introduced Open Access’ in the Madras University Library in 1929. At the insistence of MALA the Director of Public Instruction, Madras made 2 hours of library work compulsory in all high school classes. A memorandum was prepared by S R Ranganathan to the utilization of these periods, which was approved by Secondary School Leaving Certificate Board of Madras. In 1935, MALA started library tours in the villages to work with the help of village library groups in the villages for the removal of illiteracy of adults over 14 years of age. The scheme was that a literate member was to teach some 10 illiterates near about him in leisure hours with a special text and copy book prepared by them for teaching. Ranganathan was Author, Academician, Mathematician and Librarian. He took up the job at Madras in earnest in 1924 and held it until 1944. From 1945 to 1947 he served as librarian and as Professor of Library Science at Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi (Banaras), in 1948 he was Member of the Faculty UNESCO, International School for Public Librarianship, Manchester and from 1949 to 1954 he was Professor in Library Science, at the University of Delhi. During 1954-57 he was engaged in research and writing in Zurich. In 1956 he was visiting Lecturer of Library Schools, United States of America. He returned to India in the latter year and from 1957 he served as visiting Professor at Vikram University, Ujjain, until 1959. In 1958 he was visiting Lecturer of Library Schools, United States of America, Japan and Canada. He gave several new theories in Library management, particularly in library classification. He was President, Indian Library Association; Vice-President of FID and the Library Association, UK. He wrote several books and technical papers. 1962 he founded DRTC and became Head of the Documentation Research and Training Centre in Bangalore, with which he remained, associated for the rest of his life. In 1963 he was a visiting Lecturer of Library Schools, University of Pittsburgh. He remained Chairman of number of Associations. In 1936, he was honoured with title
ofRao Sahib’. In 1957 he was awarded Padmashri by the Government of India. In 1963, he was visiting Lecturer of Library Schools, University of Pittsburgh. Received D.Litt. (Honoris Cousa), University of Pittsburgh in 1964. He was appointed National Research Professor in Library Science by Government of India in 1965. His reputation as a Librarian extends far beyond the borders of his own country and his opinion and advice are valued in all lands. He received Honorary Fellow award in 1967. In 1970 received Margaret Mann Award, ALA. In 1971 Grand Knight Peace Award (Mark Twain Society).
His most notable contributions to the field were his The Five Laws of Library Science (1931), and the development of the only Indian Scheme of Library Classification-Colon Classification (1933), Prolegomena to Library Classification (1937), Classified Catalogue Code: With Additional Rules for Dictionary Catalogue Code(1934), Ranganathan: the Man and the Mathematician Library Administration, Indian Library Manifesto, Library Manual for Library Authorities, Librarians, and Library Workers, Classification and Communication, Headings and Canons; Comparative Study of Five Catalogue Codes.The 5 Laws of Library Science of Dr S R Ranganathan published in 1931, are called the set of norms, percepts, and guides to good practice in librarianship.
Many librarians worldwide accept them as the foundations of their philosophy. Dr S R Ranganathan conceived the Five Laws of Library Science in 1924. The statements embodying these laws were formulated in 1928 which were first published in Ranganathan’s classic book entitled Five Laws of Library Science in 1931.
These laws of Library Science are considered as ‘fundamental laws’ of Library Science. These laws gave a philosophical base, guaranteeing an everlasting future to the subject of library science, the profession of librarianship, and the use of libraries. These laws have provided a scientific approach to the subject of library science. Even though S R Ranganathan proposed Five Laws of Library Science before the advent of the digital age, they are still valid and equally relevant today. The American Library Association considered ‘Dr S R Ranganathan as Librarian to the World’.