S.R Ranganathan: The Father of Library Science

From a small town in India to global recognition - the incredible story of S.R. Ranganathan - the man who transformed the world of libraries with his visionary ideas. Follow us on a journey through his life and legacy, and discover how one man's determination changed the course of history.

S. R. Ranganathan; Source: Britannica.com

S.R. Ranganathan, also known as Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan, was a visionary who moved mountains with his knowledge and teachings. Born on 9th August 1892 in the small town of Shiyali in Madras, India, Ranganathan made outstanding contributions to the field of library science. Over the course of his career, he established himself as the undisputed "father of library science" in his home country, and his influence extended far beyond its borders. His conventions, theories, and writings on scholastic categorization were not only revelatory at the time but remain just as relevant today as they were when he first put pen to paper. He left this world on 27th September 1972, leaving behind a powerful legacy that began in Shiyali and spread around the globe.

S.R. Ranganathan was an Indian librarian and mathematician who is considered the "Father Of Library Science" for his pioneering work in the field. He received his bachelor's degree in mathematics in 1913 from Madras Christian College and later went on to earn a master's degree in the same subject in 1916. An year later In 1917, Ranganathan achieved a Licentiate in Teaching (LT) qualification from the renowned Teachers' College in Madras.

Soon after completing his education, Ranganathan began his professional journey as a mathematics instructor at the Government College in Mangalore. He later taught at the Government College in Coimbatore before relocating to Madras in 1921 to serve as an assistant professor of mathematics at the Presidency College. Throughout his time as a mathematics educator, Ranganathan published several papers, many of which focused on the history of mathematics.

In 1923, the University of Madras established the role of university librarian and opened up applications for the position. Some of Ranganathan's colleagues encouraged him to apply for the role, as it came with higher pay than his current position as an assistant professor. Ranganathan was chosen from among the applicants and took on the role of University Librarian in January 1924.

Ranganathan spent two decades working as the librarian at Madras, a position he had planned to hold until his retirement. At 54, Ranganathan opted to leave the role of head librarian amid a disagreement with the new university vice-chancellor. After a brief bout of despondency, he accepted a professorship in library science at Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi in August 1945. During his tenure, he diligently catalogued and classified an impressive 100,000 items before departing four years later.

Ranganathan is best known for his contributions to the field of library science, which he helped to develop and modernize in India. He was particularly interested in the organization and classification of library materials and developed several innovative systems for organizing and cataloguing books and other library materials.

One of Ranganathan's most significant contributions was the development of the "Five Laws of Library Science," which he published in 1931. These laws, which became the foundation of modern library science, are as follows:

Books are for use.

Every person His book.

Every book Its reader.

Save the time of the reader.

A library is a growing organism.

Ranganathan's ideas had a major impact on the way libraries were organized and managed, and his work has been widely recognized and is influential in the field of library science. In addition to his contributions to library science, Ranganathan was also a noted mathematician and wrote several books on the subject, including "An Introduction to the Theory of Numbers" and "The Theory of Sets."

Ranganathan received numerous awards and recognitions for his contributions to library science and mathematics, including the prestigious Padma Shree award, which he received from the Government of India in 1957. He passed away in 1972, but his work continues to be highly respected.