21 Day Inservice Course for Librarian
Demo Presentation
Five Laws of Library
By
PRAHALLAD MALLIK
PMSHREE KV NO 2BOLANGIR, BHUBANESWAR
INTRODUCTION
FIVE LAWS ARE DIVINE THEORY OF S. R. RANGANATHAN
SHIYALI RAMAMRITA RANGATHANAN, POPULARLY KNOWN AS S.R.RANGANATHAN, INDIAN LIBRARIAN AND EDECATOR WHO WAS CONSIDERED THE FATHER OF LIBRARY SCIENCE IN INDIA WHOSE CONTRIBUTION HAD WORLDWIDE INFLUENCE
FIVE LAWS
First Law: Books are for use
Implications of the First Law
(a) Library Location
(b) Library Hours
(c) Library Furniture
(d) Book Selection
(e) Library staff
FIVE LAWS
(a) Library Location
A Library must be located in the midst of its users. If it is a public library, it should be located in the heart of the city. If it is an academic library, it would be wise to locate it centrally to enable accessibility to all the students. The
surroundings must be free from noise and other disturbances which impede the use of library resources.
FIVE LAWS
(b) Library Hours
The timings of the library depend upon the community it serves. The Law implies that the library be kept open for as long as it is possible. Opening closing hours of the library should be adjusted to ensure maximum utilization of library resources.
FIVE LAWS
(c) Library Furniture
Library furniture should be comfortable, functional and easy to use. The stack rooms should be made vermin proof, theft proof and air proof. The Law states that best reading facilities should be provided, like sufficient lights, fans and sound proof floor. It may vary from library to library, depending upon the nature of clientele to be served, like children or adults. This law enforces that the height of the book racks should be short enough, so that books in the topmost shelf can easily be picked by a person of normal height standing on the floor. Tables and chairs should be comfortable to the user.
FIVE LAWS
(d) Book Selection
Book selection should meet the needs of the present and potential users. The selection should also consider physical appearance of the books and ease of handling. The books should be kept clean and in good condition. Worn out and obsolete books should be weeded out from the library collection from time to time.
FIVE LAWS
(e) Library staff
The Law states that to disseminate knowledge and to put the books to maximum use, the libraries must have highly qualified and professionally trained staff. The First Law has the most vital effect on the library staff. Assisting the users to find and use library resources is the responsibility of the library staff, as most
of the users do not know how to use the resources. To know the needs of the users, and teaching them use of library resources, is an essential task of library
FIVE LAWS
Second Law: Every person his or her book
Implications of the Second Law
It imposes a number of obligations on:
FIVE LAWS
(a) Obligation of the State
Establishment and maintenance of library systems and their development along Proper lines is a State’s responsibility. To meet this responsibility, the State has certain obligations. The first and the foremost is the library legislation. Through library legislation, the State can create the public library system in different areas By its policies and decisions, which makes adequate provisions regarding library cess, percentage of the cess to be collected from the people and grants to be
given by the Government for library system.
FIVE LAWS
(b) Obligation of Library Authority
The choice of the books and choice of the staff are the two necessary obligations of library authority.
(i) Choice of Books
Selection of books is determined by the demands of the users. Demand refers to the selection of reading material for a given library.
(ii) Choice of Staff Careful selection of books is not an ultimate aim of the library. To exploit these resources, competent library staff is needed. Only competent staff can satisfy the user’s requirements and be able to locate books and other materials that they want.
FIVE LAWS
(c) Obligation of the Library Staff
The objectives of Second Law cannot be achieved unless the library staff Discharge their obligations in an efficient manner.
FIVE LAWS
(d) Obligation of the Reader
The Second Law imposes certain obligations on the reader towards library. It is the duty of the reader to follow the rules and regulations of the library in order to use and utilize library resources in an effective and efficient manner.
FIVE LAWS
Third Law: Every book its reader
Implications of the Third Law
(a) Open Access
(b) Book selection
FIVE LAWS
(a) Open Access
In an open access system, the reader is allowed to select books/items on the shelves on his/her own. It increases the use of the books. Open access, thus helps in achieving the Third Law.
FIVE LAWS
(b) Book selection
The Law emphasizes the need to arrange the books on shelves in classified sequence based on their thought content. This arrangement brings books on the same subject together for easy browsing. If the shelf area is provided with well devised guides and labels, the use of each item increases.
FIVE LAWS
Fourth Law: Save the time of the reader
Implications of the Fourth Law
FIVE LAWS
The classified arrangement of books in the stack room saves the time of the reader, as it is easy for a reader to find all books on the same subject arranged at one place for browsing. The arrangement of entries in the catalogue cabinet in classified manner, aids the reader to select the books easily from the respective shelves. The Fourth Law, therefore, calls for classified arrangement of books in the stack room
FIVE LAWS
(b) Catalogue Entry
In case of composite books, classified arrangement is sufficient to save objective time of the reader. The various facets of composite books can be brought to the notice of the reader by making cross references and subject analytical entries
FIVE LAWS
Fifth Law: A library is a growing organism
Implications of the Fifth Law
(a) Growth
(b) Library Building
FIVE LAWS
Growth
Growth in Size As the body of a child grows steadily in size and weight, similarly a newly started library grows steadily in size in terms of reading material. The growth and size of reading material has effects on:
(a) Library Building, Stack area Circulation area Reading room area, etc.
(b) Growth of Readers
(c) Growth of Staff With the growth in size of reading material and the readers, increase in the number of the staff is inevitable. The book selection activity, cataloguing section, binding section, periodical section and the reference section have to grow as the library grows.
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