S. R. Ranganathan

S. R. Ranganathan, whose full name was Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan, was born on 9 August 1892 in Shiyali, in the Madras Presidency of British India, now Sirkazhi in Tamil Nadu. He studied mathematics and later worked as a teacher of mathematics before entering the field of librarianship.

In 1924, Ranganathan was appointed the first librarian of the University of Madras. Initially unfamiliar with professional librarianship, he traveled to England in 1924–25 to study library science at University College London and visited numerous British libraries. This experience greatly influenced his ideas about library organization, classification, and reader services.

Ranganathan became a major force in modern Indian librarianship. He believed that libraries should be organized around the needs of readers rather than merely around the storage of books. His most famous contribution was the Five Laws of Library Science, first published in book form in 1931: Books are for use; Every reader his or her book; Every book its reader; Save the time of the reader; Library is a growing organism.

His second major contribution was Colon Classification, first published in 1933. It introduced an influential faceted, analytico-synthetic approach to classification, allowing subjects to be analyzed into facets and then combined into class numbers. The system became an important contribution to the theory of knowledge organization and library classification.

Ranganathan also wrote extensively on cataloguing, library administration, classification theory, reference services, and library education. His important books include Classified Catalogue Code, Library Administration, Prolegomena to Library Classification, Theory of the Library Catalogue, Elements of Library Classification, and Reference Service and Bibliography.

He served as a university librarian and professor of library science in Madras, Banaras, and Delhi, and later played an important role in the development of advanced library and documentation research. He was also associated with the development of the Documentation Research and Training Centre (DRTC) in Bangalore. His efforts helped establish library science as an academic and professional discipline in India.

Ranganathan was also an advocate of wider access to public libraries. His ideas contributed to the growth of the public-library movement and to discussions surrounding library legislation in India. His influence extended beyond India, particularly in the fields of classification theory and information organization.

In recognition of his contributions, the Government of India awarded him the Padma Shri in 1957. He was also recognized internationally through honorary academic and professional distinctions. His birthday is commemorated in India through National Librarians' Day, observed in connection with his birth anniversary. Government of India cultural institutions continue to commemorate his contributions to librarianship.

Ranganathan died on 27 September 1972. His Five Laws and theories of classification remain influential in library and information science, and his work continues to be studied in India and internationally.