Dr. S. R. Ranganathan's Five Laws and its Influence in Libraries, Archives and Museums

by Dr. Mohamed Taher @ 2022

A Reflection on Embracing Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Engaging and Empowering in Theory, Practice and Research.

This short note is an attempt to explore newer ways to assess the meaning of Five Laws of Dr. SR Ranganathan SRR) in relation to information literacies with a slant towards diversity and inclusion in Libraries, Archives and Museum (LAM). Using any informational activity (service, product, resource) one can assess &/or demonstrate best practices in engaging and empowering the Netizens. For example assessment of space, collection, outreach, etc., can be done based on Five Laws.


First law: Books are for use


My suggestion, 'beyond the book' towards infostructure (Taher, 2006):

  1. "Information content and access must be unrestricted and inclusive." [Personality “, “ - SRR's PMEST, see the Appendix ]

By implication its scope is about removing barriers to access. It removes exclusiveness and introduces the concept of free for all and open for all. Thereby opening the information for all and everyone. For example:

  • Accessibility

      1. freedom from chains / "restrictions" (Lor, 2007)..

  • Equity:

    • Blocking access to the have-nots is ageist the values of profession.

    • Dr. SRR says : In a democracy, everybody has a right to the latest information, to the latest knowledge, and to the immortal classics"[ Quoted by Gopinath, M.A., ed.]

  • Inclusion:

    • In other words, exclusion is against the law. "The diversification of the functions of the library is a result of social pressure. Democracy makes the library serve one and all. It should serve not merely the aristocracy of birth, wealth, power, intellect. On the other hand, it should serve every citizen - high or humble by birth, rich or poor, powerful or meek, each in the measure of his intelligence quotient and field of interest."[Ranganathan, ]

    • See also: “First Law of Diversity/Affirmative Action.” “Diversity/AA is for practice.” (Hall, 2004)

    • Dr. SR Ranganathan's five laws are adopted in the case of Archives by David Horn. Here is the extract:

        1. Archives are for use.

        2. Archivists save the time of researchers.

        3. Archivists support the widest possible dissemination of information.

        4. Archivists make the best use of all resources.

        5. Archivists have professional obligations to society.

        6. Archivists make known to donors and to researchers any information about their work that is helpful. To compare the archivist's code of ethics.

    • "Every memory its collection. Every collection its seeker / community. Save the time of the seeker/community.. The archive is a growing organism, " References: Fick, H., Fredriksson, A., & Lindblom, H. (2015). RDA exposing the archival secrets. Scandinavian Public Library Quarterly, 48(4), 24-26. Retrieved from http://slq.nu/;

    • Five laws for museums 1. Museum objects are for viewing 2. Every viewer his/her object 3. Every object its viewer 4. Save the time of the concerned persons 5. A museum is a growing organism … Sen, B. K. (2008). Ranganathan’s five laws. http://nopr.niscair.res.in/handle/123456789/1769

    • "Atkinson (1998: 14-15) compares the characteristics of the library for use and the library as archive or repository, by contrasting the attributes of the library and the archive..." [quoted by Roberts (2014).

Second Law. Every reader, his/her Book

My suggestion, beyond the pull/attraction (Foster-Jones, 2011):

  1. Every information seeker, his/her Engagement (with empathy) / engagement with community-based groups [Matter ";"] [Energy: (Colon) ]

By implication User metrics and Web Analytics are now the ways to gather this information. To meet the intent of this Law:

  • In other words, Every information professional must be empathetic to the reader and everyone in the chain -- information service product providers, the public sector, private sector, so also the means of communication with the user/reader

  • Every angry patron must be tolerated.

  • intensive familiarity about community's changing information needs (Connaway, & Faniel, 2014)..

  • See also: “Second Law of Diversity/Affirmative Action” "Every unit of the organization has its own Diversity/AA information or training needs” (Hall, 2004)


Third Law. Every book, its user [Energy: (Colon) :]


My suggestion, beyond the Push/beyond outreach to convert and get back the non-user -- also beyond SRR's 'extension service' (originally meant to "STIMULATE DESIRE FOR READING") and 'Mobile Library' (carrying reading materials to reach the doorsteps) (Raghavan, 2019).

  1. 'Every information, its Compassion for user, and at his/her space in the community) in knowledge creation.'


By implication: Outreach to get back the users and get the underserved, or nonusers. "Librarians must move beyond their doors and out into the "space where the user lives. (Connaway, & Faniel, 2014)..

  1. It is akin to using push medium (a brochure, a cold call, a website link, etc.)

  2. provide infrastructure for access and delivery (Connaway, & Faniel, 2014).

  3. See also: “Third Law of Diversity/Affirmative Action” ...“Every aspect of diversity is relevant to the organization or one of its units." (Hall, 2004)


Accessibility / engagement / outreach


Dr. SRR says: "Every book its reader. The book pleads with the librarian as follows: I am inert. Of my own accord, I am unable to leap into my reader's hands. My voice is not audible to him. I depend on you for my being taken to my reader or my reader to be taken to me" (Quoted by Gopinath, 1994).

“Apart from such methods of pure publicity, libraries are developing new types of work which, in addition to them being directly educative or recreational, lead also to publicity as an important secondary product”. these activities are named as the extension services of libraries.- S.R. Ranganathan


"As you are aware in most library’s only about 75% of the collection get used frequently. Dr. S R Ranganathan’s Third Law is more concerned with those documents that are not frequently used; what measures that the library / librarian should undertake to push and bring those items to the potential users’ attention – including special exhibitions, lectures by scholars about these resources, etc. "A. Neelameghan (personal communication)


Fourth Law: save the time of the user


My suggestion, beyond the known reader to the underserved or unknown seeker of information:


4. 'Save the time of everyone, efficiently and effectively by embedding the user needs.' [Time “`” (Single Inverted Comma)]


  • By implication ensure seamless synchronization of content delivery.

  • improving discoverability; embedding services with user's (life-flow) and "workflows" (Connaway, & Faniel, 2014).

  • See also: “Fourth Law of Diversity/Affirmative Action” “Save the time of the organization” (Hall, 2004)


Dr. SRR also says: "The Fourth Law asks us to save objective time as well as subjective time." (Quoted by Gopinath, 1994).


Fifth LAW: library is a growing organism


My suggestion is beyond the book (Schnapp,, & Battles, 2014), and beyond walls to data, and in an age where ubiquitous access to information is the norm.


5. 'information service is a living organism in a ubiquitous virtual realm.' [Space. (Dot) ]


By implication it needs 'perpetual access' [by mediator's presence 24 X 7, for everyone] ' Time/Space (Carr, 2010).

"The developments in Information Technology, the understanding of the role of information in policy and decision-making, problem-solving, system-building, and in socio-economic and political developments, have given few lease of life to Library is a growing organism. The physical, interlingual, and interdisciplinary networks of information in library and information systems have led to the larger interest of Information Resource management." (Neelameghan, 1992).

  • See also: “Fifth Law of Diversity/Affirmative Action” “Diversity/AA initiatives are a growing organism” (Emphasize evolution and growth) (Hall, 2004)

Readings:

Note: Many references to the literature in this area, are not here. Ask, if you need it.


  • Atherton, P. A. (2006). Putting knowledge to work: An American view of Ranganathan's five laws of library science. New Delhi: Ess Ess Publications.

  • Barner, K. (2011). The library is a growing organism: Ranganathan’s fifth law of library science and the academic library in the digital era. Library Philosophy and practice, 1-9.

  • Carr, P. L. (2010). The Dual Mission Paradigm: A Ranganathanian Critique. https://thescholarship.ecu.edu/bitstream/10342/3142/1/submitted%2010-17-10.docx

  • Carr, Patrick L.. (April 2014). Reimagining the Library as a Technology: An Analysis of Ranganathan’s Five Laws of Library Science within the Social Construction of Technology Framework. The Library Quarterly, (84:2), p.152-164. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/675355 .http://hdl.handle.net/10342/6885 ["This article draws on theories in the field of technology studies to advance the claim that the enduring relevance of the five laws is rooted in how they embrace the social construction of technology (SCOT) framework, which is based in the supposition that the actions of user communities shape a technology’s meaning"]

  • Chester, G. & Neelameghan, A. (2006). "Information Professional: Knowledge and Skills Development for Serving Marginalized and Rural Communities." Webology, 3(3), Article 29. Available at: http://www.webology.org/2006/v3n3/a29.html

  • Cheong, C. F. (2015). The five rules of engagement for librarians: aux Ranganathan’s law of library science. Library management in disruptive times, 37-49. [

    • Librarians are experts

    • Every librarian a friend of users

    • Every encounter with users should add value to them

    • Users must have high demand and expectation of librarians

    • The Library’s critical role in knowledge work must be widely recognized and acknowledge] http://cflms.lib.sjtu.edu.cn/2014/PDF%E7%89%88/%E8%94%A1%E5%8F%91%E7%BF%94%20%20%E5%9B%BE%E4%B9%A6%E9%A6%86%E5%91%98%E8%9E%8D%E5%85%A5%E8%AF%BB%E8%80%85%E7%9A%845%E6%9D%A1%E8%A7%84%E5%88%99.pdfx%202.pdf

  • Connaway, L. S., & Faniel, I. M. (2014). Reordering Ranganathan: Shifting User Behaviors, Shifting Priorities. OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc. 6565 Kilgour Place, Dublin, OH 43017.

  • Foster-Jones, J. (2011). Information and Libraries: Impact of Web 2.0: Juanita Foster-Jones. In Perspectives on Information (pp. 100-114). Routledge.

  • Gopinath, M.A., ed. (1994). Memorabilia Ranganathan]

  • Grizzle, A., & Singh, J. (2016). Five laws of media and information literacy as harbingers of human rights. Media and information literacy: Reinforcing human rights, countering radicalization and extremism, 25.

  • Hall, T.D. (2004). Making the starting line-up: best practices for placing diversity at the center of your library. 2004 National Diversity in Libraries Conference" Diversity in Libraries Making It Real". May, 4-5, Atlanta, Georgia. Retrieved October 15, 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20061009172901/http://www.librarydiversity.org/MakingtheStartingLine.pdf

  • Jennings, Gretchen (2916). The Empathetic Museum and The Empathy of Librarians. https://museumcommons.com/2016/07/empathetic-museum-empathy-librarians.html

  • Leiter, R. A. (2003). Reflections on Ranganathan's five laws of library science. Law Libr. J., 95, 411.

  • LITTLE, HANNAH BYRD (2020). Save the Time of the Reader - - AASL Knowledge Quest. https://knowledgequest.aasl.org/save-the-time-of-the-reader/

  • Lor, P. J. (2007). International advocacy for information ethics: the role of IFLA. The International Review of Information Ethics, 7, 189-201.

  • Mardis, M. A., & Oberg, D. (Eds.). (2019). Social Justice and Cultural Competency: Essential Readings for School Librarians. ABC-CLIO.

  • Raghavan, K. S. (2019). Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan. ISKO Encyclopedia of Knowledge Organization.

  • Ranganathan, S. R. (1960). Library Manual, Ed. 3, Sec. 102s

  • Ranganathan, S. R. (2006). Reference service. Bangalore: Sarada Ranganathan Endowment for Library Science.

  • Ranganathan, S. R. THE FIRST LAW. https://ibn.idsi.md/sites/default/files/imag_file/83_90.ranganatan.pdf

  • Ranganathan, S. R., Sivaswamy, A. P. S., & Sayers, W. C. B. (2006). The five laws of library science. Arizona: DLIST.

  • Roberts, A. (2014). Conceptualising the library collection for the digital world: a case study of social enterprise (Doctoral dissertation, University of Sheffield). https://thehub.swa.govt.nz/assets/documents/Upskilling%20through%20foundation%20skills%20-%20A%20literature%20review.pdf

  • Schnapp, J. T., & Battles, M. (2014). The library beyond the book.

  • Taher, Mohamed (2022). Five Laws of Peace & Tolerance for civic engagement (Implication for digital literacy with examples for breaking stereotypes for sensitivity and care). https://sites.google.com/site/akbanis/five-laws-of-peace-tolerance-for-civic-engagement

  • Taher, Mohamed. (2011). Interfaith Literacy Resources in the Index Islamicus: A Bibliometric Analysis. https://myrepositori.pnm.gov.my

  • Taher, Mohammed. (2021). The six A’s for evaluating Web content. https://sites.google.com/site/akbanis/home/drmt_geo/the-six-a-s-for-evaluating-web-content

  • Taher, Mohamed. (2021). Mapping Canadian Multifaith Spiritual & Religious Care (SRC) Articles, 2009-2018, In Taher, Mohamed, (ed.) Multifaith perspectives in spiritual & religious care: change, challenge and transformation. Toronto, Canada: Canadian Multifaith Federation. pp. 83-98.

  • Taher, Mohamed. (2007) Save the time of the godly: information mediator's role in promoting spiritual and religious accommodation. In: Ragahavan, KS and Prasad, KN, eds. Knowledge organization, information systems and other essays; Professor A. Neelameghan festschrift

  • Taher, Mohamed. (2002). The reference interview through asynchronous E-mail and synchronous interactive reference: Does it save the time of the interviewee? Internet Reference Services Quarterly, 7(3), 23-34.

  • Taher, M. (2006). Infostructure. https://sites.google.com/site/akbanis/home/drmt_geo/infostructure

  • Taher, Mohamed. (2002). Internet Reference Services: A Select Bibliography https://sites.google.com/site/akbanis/home/drmt_geo/internet-reference-services-a-select-bibliography

image source: (Source: Alchetron, under CC BY-SA)

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Appendix : PMEST (SRRs Five Fundamental Categories , compared with the Five Categories of Nicolas de Condorcet ( Glushko, 2016).

SRR / Nicolas de Condorcet

P: Thing / domain / broad area

M: material relates to the thin - description of the domain

E: activity or action of the thing / point of view as interpreted or acted upon

space geographic location of the think / uses (past, present, future)

time: time when it connects / in which knowledge can be acquired

[source: Glushko, Robert J. The discipline of organizing: professional edition. " O'Reilly Media, Inc.", 2016. https://ischools.org/resources/Documents/Discipline%20of%20organizing/Core%20Concepts/TDO4-CoreConcepts-CC.pdf


"Rather than asking each camp to learn the others' languages, the authors ask each of us to engage with a new terminology and set of abstractions. "

"This book provides bridges where before there werre slippery trails. "

Physical/digital things, (P). we organize information about physical things (Matter ); we connect things (Energy); we categorize these physicals things by time and contextualize place / space as a growing organism. - from local to global in a flat world.