S.R. Ranganathan

Ranganathan on a post stamp of India, 1992, (Wikimedia)

S.R. (Shiyali Ramamrita) Ranganathan (12 August 1892 – 27 September 1972) was an Indian library pioneer and professor, best known for formulating the Five laws of Library Science and developing the Colon Classification system. He is regarded as the most influential figure in library and information science in India, where his birthday is observed as National Librarian Day, and as one of the foremost thinkers in the field of library science internationally.

Life and Work

S.R. Ranganathan was born on 12 August 1892 (though he himself recorded 9 August) in Sirkazhi, Tamil Nadu, into a Brahmin family. Initially, he pursued a career in mathematics, earning degrees from Madras Christian College and teaching at several universities before turning to library science. He later served as librarian and professor at Banaras Hindu University (1945–49) and at the University of Delhi (1949–55), where he helped establish India’s first school of librarianship offering advanced degrees. Ranganathan was president of the Indian Library Association from 1944 to 1953, and in 1957 received the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, for his contributions to library science. His work was also recognized internationally, earning him awards and honorary memberships.

Connections with Theosophical Society

In his early days at Madras Christian College (1909–1916), S.R. Ranganathan often attended talks by influential speakers in the Freedom movement, some of whom were members of the Theosophical Society. Since he lived six miles away from the college, making the journey required special effort. He later recalled, referring to himself in the third person as “SRR”:

...on the few evenings when some great speaker would be announced, SRR would stay, listen to speakers and even take down notes. V Krishnaswamy Ayyar, C Sankaran Nayar, and V S Srinivasa Sastry were among those whose speeches he heard and enjoyed. He heard Mahatma Gandhi also one day.

Among these experiences, Ranganathan was especially passionate about attending Annie Besant’s lectures at the Theosophical Society headquarters in Adyar.

Mrs A Besant was another great orator of those days. Her speeches were usually in the Theosophical Society’s hall at Adyar. SRR was so attracted by her speeches that he would walk four miles from his home, attend the lecture, and come back home walking.

From 1945 to 1949, Ranganathan served as professor of library science at Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, which incorporated the Central Hindu College founded in 1898 by Annie Besant. In addition to his teaching duties, he cataloged and classified a large portion of the university’s library collection.

Notable concepts

In accord with Indian traditional philosophy, Ranganathan viewed a book as composed of several layers, drawing on the concept of Panchakosha, or five sheaths divided into three distinct bodies.

[He] described a book as having three sheaths (Kosas):

1. The Gross Body (Sthulasarira) — binding, paper, etc;
2. The Subtle Body (Sukshmasarira) — the language, the illustration, and all the other forms of expression; and
3. The Soul (Athma) — the thought-content.

Legacy

S. R. Ranganathan’s major contribution to library science internationally was the Five Laws of Library Science, proposed in 1931, which reshaped modern librarianship and influenced practices worldwide. These laws set out fundamental principles of library operation, emphasizing access and a user‑centered approach, and are widely regarded as foundational by librarians across the globe. He presented them as follows:

• Books are for use.
• Every person has his or her book.
• Every book has its reader.
• Save the time of the reader.
• A library is a growing organism.

Ranganathan is also known for developing the Colon Classification in 1933, an early faceted library classification system. Unlike many Western schemes that emphasized subjects or disciplines, it was built upon five fundamental categories: Personality (P), Matter (M), Energy (E), Space (S), and Time (T), collectively remembered by the acronym PMEST. Used mainly in Indian libraries, it offers a detailed treatment of local subjects, religions, languages, and geography, often simplified in other schemes.

The scheme is sometimes described as having an ascensional structure, progressing from applied and natural sciences on one hand, and social sciences with humanities on the other hand, to Spiritual experience and mysticism at its highest point as culmination of all knowledge.

Additional resources

• S.R. Ranganathan in Wikipedia
• Ranganathan, S. R, and P. N Kaula. A Librarian Looks Back: An Autobiography of Dr. S.R. Ranganathan. New Delhi: ABC Pub. House, 1992. 482 pages.