SECOND LAW OF LIBRARY SCIENCE

Introduction
In 1931 S.R. Ranganathan involved in the development of the great library at the University
of Madras, first contemplated and began to articulate the ideas that soon would be
enunciated in the five laws of library science.
This was a period in library history. When the world was grappling with fundamental
questions. What is library? What is library service? Libraries were just developing systems of
classification and organisation and no one had yet dealt with a unified philosophy that
attempted to define the purpose and function of a library, The principles enunciated in
Ranganathan’s five laws were first and , to date, the only clear definition of a library’s of a
library’s functions and responsibilities.
Dr, Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan was born on 9 th August 1892 in shiyali in the
Tanjavoor district of Tamilnadu. Before he became a librarian, he was a mathematician.
Who took over the charge of first liberation of Madras University Library in 1924. He created
an alternative classification system that isstill used in India. His picture was once on a stamp
in India.
The five laws of library science were enunciated in 1928.Their first formal exposition
occurred at provincial educational conference; held at Chidambaram in December that year.
Dr, ranganathan, after his education in librarianship in 1924 and his observation of the
working of several libraries in England, had been struggling to discover wheather the
principles and practices that he observed could be generalised and reduced to certain
cardinal principle. In other words, he was in search of some principles in which could tell us
what should be done in the library field to make library organisation management and
operation efficient and universalise its services.
He formed Madras Library association which became the living symbol of library
movement in Madras. He was its founder secretary from 1928 up to 1945.
Ranganathan donated grater part of his saving for instituting the Sarada Ranganathan
Endowment, in library science(1961). He has contributed as many as 69 book and 2000
articles in library science. “Prolegomena to library classification” is a substanial contribution
to the theory of library classification and universe of subject. He kept on working till his
breath on 27th 1972. Thus Dr. Ranganathan is the Father of library science in India.

Five laws of library science:

Dr. S.R Rnagananthan formulated “Five laws of library science”. These five laws are
1. Books are for use
2. Every reader his/her book
3. Every book its reader
4. Save the time of the reader and
5. Library is growing organisation
1. Books are for use:-
This means that Books in libraries are not meant to be shut away from people.

2. Every reader his/her book:-

This mean we don’t judge what someone wants to read. Everyone has different tastes
and differences and we should respect that.

3. Every book its reader:-

This means we should have books in the library even if there is just one person who
wants to read it. We shouldn’t just have popular books.

4. Save the time of the reader:-

This means of should be as easy as possible to find what you want in the library and the
library should be accessible to all.

5. Library is growing Organism:-

This means that a library is always changing. The books need to be updated over time ,
new books should be bought and old books replaced.
Second Law: Every Reader His/Her Books
The second law of library science is “Every reader his/her book”. This law implies that the
“boos are for use of all” or “books for all”. The second law stressed on the democratization
of the library where every reader has the equal right to get the book of his/her interest. The
second law fixed some responsibilities or obligations of the state, the library authority, the
library staff and the readers. A library should serve all Patrons, no matter their age, race, or
economic status.
This law suggest that every member of the community should be able to obtain material
needed. Dr, S.R Rnaganathan felt that all individuals from all social environments were
entitled. These entitlements were not without some important obligations for both
librarils/librarians and library patrons.
Librarians should have excellent first hand knowledge of that people to be served. Collection
should meet the special interests of the community and libraries should promote and
advertise. Their service extensively to attract a wide rage of readers.
The second law of library science “every reader his/her book” means that librarians serve a
wide collection of patrons, acquire literature to fit a vast collection of needs, do not judge
what specific patrons choose to read. Everyone and we should respect that.
The possible absence of a physical knowledge storage objects doesn’t dilute the power
of Rangananthan’s second media is all forms including the internet. This law has the
following implications.
Implications:-
1 . Obligation at the state:-
When we say “Every reader His/Her Book”or “Book for All”, the state or government
automatically comes in picture, The state has certain obligation to its citizens and one of
them is to provide eqal opportunity to read. Ranganathan has discussed obligations of the
state under there head.

I. Finance:-
Providing finance by giving grants and by living library cell (Ranganathan’s choice).
II. Legislation:-
This law implies that all possible steps should be taken to fulfil the varied
requirements of the readers. So it is obligatory to ensure that each reader gets
his/her book. This involves economic factor or funds, legal factors or legislation and
proper co-ordination. This is possible through library legislation or public libraries
acts, which will provide finance for establishing and maintaining public libraries at
various levels in order to provide free library sevice for all. Moreover there is a need
to integrate public library system with academic and special library system for
resource sharing and networking.
III. Co-ordination of activities to ensure “Book for all”

2. Book Selection:-
Give full weightage to the tastes and requirements of the clientele of the library.
Difficulties of the second law can be minimized by adopting a well balanced book selection
policy. If the right book selected it will definitely find its readers.

3. Self Arreangement:-
The library must adopt a scheme of library classification for arrangement of its
documents on the shelves, in a systematic order and helpful sequence, Thus the subjects
approach of the users can be meet and this will help in getting every reader his/her book.

4. Cataloguing:-
Proper cataloguing of books is very important as even though there may be well planned
and arranged books on the shelves but they are incapable merely buy itself. Series entry and
cross reference entries are highly useful in drawing the attention of the readers. Analytical
entries increase the chance of a composite book getting its reader.

5 . Maintenance:-
The library staff should see that documents are maintained in proper order on the
shelves of the stack and in good physical condition fit for easy handling by the users as well
as staff. In open access system some books may be misplaced by users which must be
restored to their proper places by the staff. Binding and repair of books should be got done
in the shortest time, so that the users can get their required books if any.

6 . Reference Services:-
A reference librarian should have adequate knowledge and experience to assess the user’s
requirements, so that he can provide right books/ information for every reader. Also he
should have through knowledge about the extending help to users in locating their required.

7 . Inter Library Loan:-

A library should introduce and encolarge inter-library lending system in order to the needs
of those uses whose requirements can be met only by borrowing documents from other
libraries.

8 . Open Acess:-
In a closed success of books time is wasted unnecessarily. In open access the time of the
readers is saved. If open access is not there then the reader has to make the choice of the
books through the searching of the library catalog. Then the reader requests the library staff
the book which he has searched in the catalog. The staff searches the required book and if
the staff is not able to trace the book then the reader again needs to search the catalog.
These problems can be avoided if open access is provided where the readers can
themselves go to the shelves to search their book.

9 . Obligation of the reader:-

The readers of a library should look upon the library rules as an aid to enable them to get
the maximum services out of the library resources and to prevent misuse of library
resources. They should not plead for their own rights and previleges but also for others.
Thus the reader is under obligation to conduct himself in such a way that others also get
their due facilities from the library.

Conclusion:-
 Five laws of library science are the fundamental laws of library science which provide
guidance in the practice of library and information science.The first three laws emphasize
the best utilization of library collection by the maximum number of users.
These five laws are coaxed to shed their secret to formulate theories, principles, canons and
corollaries at the lower levels. Thus Ranganathan deducted theories for classification,
cataloguing, book selection, reference service, administration, bibliography, documentation,
library building and architecture, all out of the five laws B.C Vickyery find in these five laws
the code of conduct for the libranians leading to good practices.

Reference :-
1. https://www.libranianshipstudies.com
2. https://www.slideshare.net
3. https://www.slideshare.net