Padma Shri (1957) • National Research Professor

Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan

"A library is not a mere storehouse of books; it is a fountain from which the waters of knowledge flow to nurture the community."

Welcome to the comprehensive digital archive dedicated to the life, seminal theories, classification schemes, and cataloguing codes formulated by the Father of Library Science in India.

S.R.R. (1892-1972)

Dr. S.R. Ranganathan

M.A., D.Litt., L.T., F.L.A.

Born: 12 August 1892 (Shiyali, Tamil Nadu)

Demise: 27 September 1972 (Bengaluru)

Major Post: First University Librarian, Madras (1924–1945)

Recognition: National Librarian's Day in India (Aug 12)

Foundational Legacy

Four Pillars of Ranganathan's Thought

Normative Principles

Formulated the 5 Laws of Library Science, 43 Canons of Classification, 21 Canons of Cataloguing, and Law of Parsimony.

Faceted Classification

Invented Colon Classification (CC), introducing analytico-synthetic faceted methodology through the fundamental categories (PMEST).

Chain Procedure & CCC

Developed the Classified Catalogue Code (1934) and invented Chain Procedure to derive subject headings mechanically from class numbers.

Institutional Builder

Drafted Model Library Acts for states, established DRTC in Bangalore (1962), founded Indian Library Association (ILA) and Sarada Ranganathan Endowment.

In the Words of Sayers

"If Ranganathan had done nothing more than enunciate his Five Laws of Library Science, he would have made an indelible contribution to our profession."

— W.C. Berwick Sayers (President, Library Association, UK)

Life Journey & Achievements

Biography of a Polymath

From lectureships in mathematics to architecting India's national documentation systems and drafting universal classification codes.

Biographical Synthesis

Early Life & Mathematics: Born in Shiyali, Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu, young Ranganathan lost his father Ramamrita Ayyar at age six. Educated at the Hindu High School in Shiyali and later Madras Christian College, he earned his B.A. and M.A. in Mathematics. He served as Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Government College, Mangalore, and Presidency College, Madras from 1917 to 1923.

Appointment to Madras University (1924): In November 1923, the University of Madras created the post of University Librarian to manage a chaotic collection of 30,000 volumes. Ranganathan took office in January 1924 and was sent to the UK to study contemporary library administration at University College London.

The London Awakening & Meccano Toy: Observing the London public library system under W.C. Berwick Sayers, Ranganathan found the Decimal Classification rigid. The idea of Colon Classification occurred to him after watching a salesperson build different toy mechanisms with a Meccano set—assembling complex structures using standard reusable components.

Later Years & DRTC: Later, he served as Librarian at Banaras Hindu University (1945–1947), taught at Delhi University (1947–1955), and lived in Zurich, Switzerland. Returning to India, he founded the Documentation Research and Training Centre (DRTC) in Bangalore under the Indian Statistical Institute in 1962, continuing to work tirelessly up to 16 hours a day until his passing in September 1972.

Historical Chronology

Aug 1892

Birth at Shiyali

Born on 12 August in Madras Presidency. Celebrated annually throughout the Republic of India as National Librarian's Day.

Jan 1924

Appointed Librarian at Madras University

Leaves mathematics teaching to accept leadership of Madras University Library; initiates complete restructuring of access procedures.

1928

Formulation of Five Laws

First enunciated the fundamental Five Laws during a conference at Meenakshi College, Annamalainagar.

1931

Publication of "The Five Laws of Library Science"

Released with a foreword by Sir P.S. Sivaswami Aiyer and introduction by W.C. Berwick Sayers.

1933

First Edition of Colon Classification

Introduced colon notation to separate facets, presenting an analytico-synthetic alternative to DDC.

1934

Classified Catalogue Code (CCC)

Published the first comprehensive code for a classified catalog, establishing the Chain Procedure.

1948

Madras Public Libraries Act & Librametry

Architected the first Public Library Act in independent India (Madras Act of 1948). Coined the term "Librametry" at Aslib UK.

1957

Conferred Padma Shri

Conferred India's fourth-highest civilian award by the President of India for outstanding service to library education.

1962

Establishment of DRTC Bengaluru

Founded the Documentation Research and Training Centre with Prof. P.C. Mahalanobis under the Indian Statistical Institute.

1965

National Research Professor

Appointed National Research Professor in Library Science by the Government of India.

The Fundamental Tenets (1931)

The Five Laws of Library Science

A definitive philosophical framework that guides every aspect of library architecture, selection policy, cataloguing, and modern digital information retrieval systems.

LAW I

Books Are For Use

Preservation to Utilization

Classical Implications

Location: The library must be located centrally in the community/campus, not in remote corners.

Hours: Long opening hours, opening on holidays and evenings to serve working populations.

Building & Furniture: Comfortable, ergonomic reading chairs, inviting light, open shelves replacing chains.

Staff Qualifications

Librarians must not act as stern guards or custodians of dead paper, but as cheerful knowledge guides who love books and people.

Professional salaries and status commensurate with faculty members to attract talented intellectuals.

Modern Digital Interpretation

Open Educational Resources (OER): Creative Commons and open repositories replace restrictive paywalls.

UI/UX: Mobile-responsive portals, intuitive OPAC search, no barrier downloads of academic papers.

LAW II

Every Reader His / Her Book

Universal Democratization

The State's Duty

Obligation of the state to enact library legislation, institute library cess, and provide public library networks to rural and urban citizens alike.

Specialized Collections

Catering to blind/visually impaired patrons (Braille), neo-literates, children, hospital patients, prisoners, and researchers.

Modern Digital Interpretation

Screen readers, WCAG accessibility standards, audiobooks, multilingual interfaces, and community translation pipelines.

LAW III

Every Book Its Reader

Active Information Dissemination

Open Access System

Direct shelf browsing allows users to stumble upon valuable items they never knew existed (serendipity in learning).

Cataloguing & Displays

Cross-references, analytical subject entries, topical displays of newly acquired monographs, and book fairs.

Modern Digital Interpretation

Search Engine Optimization (SEO), rich metadata tagging (Dublin Core, Schema.org), recommender algorithms ("You may also like").

LAW IV

Save The Time Of The Reader

Operational Efficiency

Circulation Methods

Elimination of ledgers; adoption of Newark and Browne charging systems; clear stack signage and stack guides.

Classified Arrangement

Arrangement of materials in an unbroken filiatory sequence by subject, enabling instant targeted retrieval.

Modern Digital Interpretation

RFID smart gates, automated self-checkout kiosks, unified discovery layers, instantaneous full-text retrieval.

LAW V

The Library Is A Growing Organism

Biological Evolution

Physical & Adult Growth

Child growth (growing in size, stacks, building) and Adult growth (steady replacement and weeding of obsolete texts).

Continuous Adaptation

Dynamic classification schemes that provide hospitality for emerging disciplines (e.g., Biotechnology, Artificial Intelligence).

Modern Digital Interpretation

Cloud database scaling, elastic computing, web archiving, and migration to digital curation repositories.

Analytico-Synthetic Classification

Colon Classification & PMEST

In 1933, Dr. Ranganathan dismantled the rigid enumerative schedules of Dewey by postulating that all knowledge can be mapped into five fundamental categories.

The CC Philosophy

Why is it Called "Colon"?

In early editions (1st to 3rd), Dr. Ranganathan used only the colon (:) to separate every facet. In the 4th edition (1952), he assigned distinct connecting symbols for each fundamental category to allow rounds and levels of facets to be synthesized without ambiguity.

Standard CC Indicator Digits (6th Ed.):

Personality [P] → Comma ( , )
Matter [M] → Semicolon ( ; )
Energy [E] → Colon ( : )
Space [S] → Dot ( . )
Time [T] → Apostrophe ( ' )

Interactive Facet Call-Number Builder

Synthesize a Colon Classification number dynamically

CC 6th Edition

1. Select Basic Subject (Main Class)

[P] Personality (Organ / Crop / Subject)

[M] Matter (Material / Property)

[E] Energy (Action/Method)

[S] Space (Country / Zone)

[T] Time (Decade / Century)

Synthesized Class Number:

L,2:4.44'N7

Verbal interpretation: Treatment of diseases of the stomach in India during 1970s.

The Three Planes of Work

Dr. Ranganathan separated the classification process into three distinct intellectual layers:

1. Idea Plane

Analysing concepts, isolating characteristics, sorting facets in the mind, and determining the logical sequence of ideas.

2. Verbal Plane

Expressing ideas through clear, standardized terms while avoiding synonyms, homonyms, and linguistic ambiguities.

3. Notational Plane

Translating terms into ordinal symbols, digits, connecting signs, and synthesizing the final Call Number.

The Science of Cataloguing

Classified Catalogue Code (CCC)

Published in 1934, CCC represents the world's only fully developed cataloguing code dedicated specifically to the classified catalogue.

Catalogue Card Architecture

The 6 Sections of a Main Entry (CCC)

Standard 5" × 3" Card

1. Leading Section

Contains the Call Number of the book. Written on the topmost line from the First Indention in pencil.

2. Heading Section

Contains the Author Name or corporate body in standardized cataloguing form (Surname first in capital letters).

3. Title Section

Contains the full title, subtitle, edition, and collaborating authors (editors, translators, illustrators).

4. Note Section

Details about series name and number in parentheses, supplements, or complex biographical links.

5. Accession Number

Written on the bottom line starting from the First Indention, providing a unique audit trail to the shelf register.

6. Tracing Section

Recorded on the reverse of the main card, listing all added entries (Class Index, Book Index, Cross Reference entries).

Revolutionary Discovery

Chain Procedure (Chain Indexing)

Invented by Ranganathan in 1934, Chain Procedure eliminates subjective human indexing by mechanically deriving Class Index Entries (subject headings) from the successive links of a Class Number.

Example Class Number: L2:4 (Stomach Pathology)

L → Medicine (Sought Link)

L2 → Digestive System, Medicine (Sought Link)

L2: → [Connecting symbol - Unsought Link]

L2:4 → Disease, Digestive System, Medicine (Sought Link)

*The British National Bibliography (BNB) officially adopted Ranganathan's Chain Procedure from 1950 to 1970 under A.J. Wells.

Comparative Analysis: CCC (1934) vs AACR2 (1978)

Criterion	Classified Catalogue Code (CCC)	AACR2 / MARC Format
Catalogue Type	Designed for Classified Catalogues (bipartite: number & alphabetical)	Designed for Dictionary Catalogues (alphabetical)
Leading Section	Call Number dominates the leading line	Author / Title heading dominates
Subject Derivation	Mechanically derived via Chain Procedure	Derived using external thesauri (LCSH, Sears List)
Place of Publication	Omitted to preserve space & parsimony	Mandatory in imprint (Place: Publisher, Year)

Authored Treatises

Comprehensive Bibliography

Explore over 60 seminal monographs and 1,500 research articles authored across five decades of prolific scholarship.

UGC-NET / KVS / BLIS / MLIS Prep

Interactive LIS Mock Test

Evaluate your conceptual clarity on Ranganathan's tenets, connecting symbols, Canons, and historical dates with instant explanations.

Progress

Question 1 of 5

Score

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Need full 100-question practice test series for UGC-NET Paper II?

The Living Organism of Library Science

Welcome to LISC 24x7

Inspired by Dr. Ranganathan's Fifth Law: "Library is a Growing Organism"

While srranganathan.com preserves the immortal heritage of our founding father, LISC 24x7 is the active, round-the-clock digital wing created to empower the modern generation of library professionals, researchers, and competitive exam aspirants.

Modern Academic Ecosystem

What You Will Find Inside LISC 24x7

UGC-NET / JRF Comprehensive Hub

Complete Unit 1 to 10 syllabus breakdowns, 15+ years of solved PYQs with analytical explanations, daily practice quizzes, and high-yield revision flashcards.

• Unit-wise PDF Lecture Notes
• Real-time Computer Based Tests (CBT)

Open-Source Library Automation

Practical, beginner-friendly deployment guides for Koha ILS, DSpace, Greenstone, E-Prints, MarcEdit, and Zotero citation management.

• Koha & Linux Terminal Cheatsheets
• RFID & Barcode Integration Manuals

National Job Board & Alerts

Curated recruitment alerts for University Librarians, Assistant Librarians, School Librarians (KVS, NVS, EMRS), DRDO, ISRO, and CSIR apprentice posts.

• Real-time telegram/web alerts
• Interview preparation dossiers

Join the LISC 24x7 Community

Whether you are a student commencing your BLIS/MLIS degree or an experienced professional automating academic libraries, LISC 24x7 is built for your continuous professional growth.

Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan

Dr. S.R. Ranganathan

Four Pillars of Ranganathan's Thought

Normative Principles

Faceted Classification

Chain Procedure & CCC

Institutional Builder

"If Ranganathan had done nothing more than enunciate his Five Laws of Library Science, he would have made an indelible contribution to our profession."

Biography of a Polymath

Biographical Synthesis

Historical Chronology

Birth at Shiyali

Appointed Librarian at Madras University

Formulation of Five Laws

Publication of "The Five Laws of Library Science"

First Edition of Colon Classification

Classified Catalogue Code (CCC)

Madras Public Libraries Act & Librametry

Conferred Padma Shri

Establishment of DRTC Bengaluru

National Research Professor

The Five Laws of Library Science

Books Are For Use

Classical Implications

Staff Qualifications

Modern Digital Interpretation

Every Reader His / Her Book

The State's Duty

Specialized Collections

Modern Digital Interpretation

Every Book Its Reader

Open Access System

Cataloguing & Displays

Modern Digital Interpretation

Save The Time Of The Reader

Circulation Methods

Classified Arrangement

Modern Digital Interpretation

The Library Is A Growing Organism

Physical & Adult Growth

Continuous Adaptation

Modern Digital Interpretation

Colon Classification & PMEST

Why is it Called "Colon"?

Interactive Facet Call-Number Builder

The Three Planes of Work

Classified Catalogue Code (CCC)

The 6 Sections of a Main Entry (CCC)

Chain Procedure (Chain Indexing)

Comparative Analysis: CCC (1934) vs AACR2 (1978)

Comprehensive Bibliography

Interactive LIS Mock Test

Welcome to LISC 24x7

What You Will Find Inside LISC 24x7

UGC-NET / JRF Comprehensive Hub

Open-Source Library Automation

National Job Board & Alerts

Join the LISC 24x7 Community

Redirecting to LISC 24x7