"I certainly never write a review about a book I don't think worth reviewing, a flat-out bad book, unless it's an enormously fashionable bad book." --
says, John Gardner in Conversations with John Gardner
Quoted from 'Dictionary of Library and Information Science Quotations'     Edited by Mohamed Taher & L S Ramaiah. ISBN: 8185689423 (New Delhi , Aditya, 1994) p.150. Available @ Amazon.com

Sunday, February 10, 2013

The five laws of library science: In Ranganathan's Day & In Today's World


What is the role of libraries in physical (as yesterday) / virtual access (as today), according to the implied meaning of Dr. S R Ranganathan’s Five Laws of Library Science (wherein 'book' is to be considered as information in any form and medium)? Here, is a chart adapted from: “Do digital libraries violate the Third Law? ” By Michle V. Cloonan & John G. Dove -- Library Journal, 04/01/2005

The Five Laws
Book Shelf (Physical Library) as in Ranganathan's Day
Hybrid Library (Physical and Virtual combo)
Virtual Shelf (Digital Libary) as today
I. Books are for use
Open the doors / shelf (no locks; except rare/special books)
Ask a Ranganathan scholar / expert (for lead send an email)
Open the gateways (reduce hurdles / limit the restrictions to access)
II. Every reader, his book
Every reader in the library must search/find and get his/her book

Every reader even outside the library must be able to search/find and access his/her book
III. Every book, its reader
Reach out the un-reached via marketing, publicity and out reach

Reach out the un-reached via marketing, publicity and out reach
IV. Save the time of the reader
Don’t waste the time of the reader; save the time by creating current awareness service and bibliographies

Don’t waste the time of the reader; save the time by creating current awareness service, such as RSS, social media alerts, and canned (microwaved) bibliographies
V. A library is a growing organism
Have a short term and long term plan for expansion in every physical way

Have a short term and long term plan for expansion in every virtual way


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