• Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.253-269
• /
• 2011

Dr. S. R. Ranganathan's Five Laws of Library Science were published in 1931 which is a classic work. This article describes in detail the Five Laws of Library Science and their implications on library activities. These laws have provided a scientific approach to library science. They constitute the philosophical basis for work and services of all types of libraries. These also provide guidance in the practice of Library and Information Science. He author emphasises that these will provide source of inspiration and guidance in the years to come. Every student and teacher of library Science and librarian must give a thought to the implications of these laws. In the changing environment of libraries in the emerging society has to fall with in the purview of these laws. The imperatives motivated by these five laws at the time of Ranganathan and in the present days have been identified. The new interpretations of the five laws with the various current nomenclature of Library and Information Science and other allied subjects have been enumerated. These new interpretations of these Laws shows that in today's international world of librarianship, Ranganathan's Five laws are much important and relevant what was before and even it is increasing. These Laws became the cornerstones of the philosophy of the techniques of Western society's library experts. The author concludes that the vision and legacy of Ranganathan will continue to be an inspiration and guiding spirit for the emergence of the new library and information profession. These will serve as source of inspiration and guidance in the years to come. It is not whether Ranganathan is by himself relevant to-day, but it is we who can make him relevant by studying and applying his principles and practices in different areas of library management.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.287-295
• /
• 2011

The Five Laws of Library Science was introduced into Japan in 1935. After World War II, it was widely disseminated among young librarians by the education for librarianship developed in the 1950's. Its concept, "Books for All," met a serious opposition from local authorities based on their long continued concept of "preservation." After they realized that people eagerly use local libraries, they interpreted that the duty of public library was "lending books." They introduced "Privatization" of libraries into quite a few local libraries in order to save money. For overcoming problems, it is important to disseminate the library concept among the public, the assembly members and government officials planning to change their attitude of disregarding libraries. As the fundamental library philosophy, the Five Laws of Library Science is important. In the commentary of the Five Laws written by the present writer, he included an illustration of triangle pyramid showing the structure of the Five Laws. He included here the spiral of study on the library and the library science, based on the Section 814 of the Five Laws. He welcomes discussions on his Japanese angle from different viewpoints in order to develop further understanding of the Five Laws.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.297-308
• /
• 2011

This paper discusses the current situation of public libraries in Korea, from the viewpoint of Ranganathan's 'Five Laws of Library Science'. Public libraries have very rapidly grown in Korea in the past ten years. With an average growth rate of 5.8% per year, the number of public libraries reached to 703 in 2009, and the number of people served per library have gradually reduced every year, even if still far below other advanced countries. However, there are still some attempts to retrain people of their right to read whatever they want. In this paper, it is emphasized that in public libraries more attention and financial and strategic assistance should be given to the disadvantaged people, and the equal right to benefit from library services should be ensured. And the library as a growing organism should be balanced with the responsible library director, devoted librarians, and concerned people in the community.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
• /
• v.21
• /
• pp.195-229
• /
• 1994

This article investigates the normative principles suggested by Rangannathan as the guiding principles for his theories, consisting of basic laws, fundamental laws, canons, principles and postulates. His five basic laws and five laws of library science are re-interpreted from the view point of library classification. And three planes of idea plane, verbal plane and notational plane, one of the core ideas in his analytico-synthetic theory of library classification, are analyzed. This article also suggests the demonstration model for this three planes using the ideas from chemistry ad chemical equation. In the last part, it analyzes the canons for library classification of three planes. These normative principles are basically guiding principles for so-called analytico-synthetic or faceted classification. But they can be a n.0, pplied to most of modern classification. But they can be a n.0, pplied to most of modern classification schemes, especially to semi-enumerative schemes including DDC, KDC, etc. so that they can improve the schemes. From this regard, these principles can also be helpful to the KDC, on the verge of the revision of its fourth edition.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.309-326
• /
• 2011

There have been several milestones in the history of library classification but most of the schemes failed to meet the new challenges in the organisation of information. Dr. S. R. Ranganathan tried to revolutionise the whole thinking on classificatory approach, when he devised the Colon Classification (CC) in 1933. He developed the Colon Classification scheme with a sound theoretical background based on normative principles, Five laws of Library science, canons, etc. One important feature of CC is that, its use is not confined to information storage and retrieval alone. This paper presents an over view of different editions of the CC highlighting the salient features of the editions. Further the implication of Five Laws of Library Science has been described. The authors stressed that the features of such as greater hospitality, specificity and mixed notation has paved the way to design and develop the depth schedules on various micro level subjects and so far about 130 micro schedules have been published. The impressions by the leading LIS professionals during and after Ranganathan's time have been highlighted. The authors expressed the fear that when the library world would see the complete version of the seventh edition of CC? It may be due to lack of institutional support engaging in the research or financial constraints. The authors are of the opinion that any scheme to flourish needs a sound research body to bring out the revised editions as done in the case of Dewey Decimal Classification. The relevance of the CC in the contemporary world of Librarianship is discussed. Finally concludes that CC needs to be resuscitated as it is a precious national heritage; and still a force for the management of libraries.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
• /
• v.54 no.3
• /
• pp.57-80
• /
• 2023

The purpose of this study is to examine the current status of university library operation through the five laws of library science and suggest ways to improve it. To this end, the operation status of four national and public university libraries was analyzed with the scope of the study as the Busan area. Furthermore, for an in-depth investigation, the P University library in Busan was examined as a case. The operation status of national and public university libraries in the Busan region was analyzed by dividing them into the categories of university library collection materials, facilities, staff, material purchase costs, and users from 2018 to 2022. In particular, there was a decrease in users and a shortage of librarians due to COVID-19. In the case study, the operation status of P University library was investigated focusing on the first and fifth laws of Ranganathan's five laws of library science. In the first law, the study was conducted on the aspects of access to and use of the collection, library location, usage time and book lending, and staff. In the fifth law, the investigation was divided into service improvement aspects according to changes in digital technology of P University library and library environment improvement aspects according to changes in user characteristics. As a result of the study, 'establishment of library space composition strategy', 'establishment of blue ocean strategy', and 'expansion of recruitment and deployment of librarians' were suggested as improvement plans.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
• /
• v.53 no.1
• /
• pp.171-190
• /
• 2022

This study aims to examine the current status of managing elementary school libraries in Busan and suggest the ways to improve it with the viewpoint of 'the five laws of library science'. The scope of study was set as the elementary school libraries in Busan, and the operation status of 304 elementary school libraries was analyzed. And for in-depth investigation, D elementary school library was examined as a case. The operation status of elementary school libraries in Busan was analyzed with the analysis elements; existence of school library, placement of teacher librarian, library collection, annual use, budget, and library seats for 6 years from 2016 to 2021. As a result, especially the placement rate of full-time teacher librarians was only 10.5%, indicating that the problem of manpower shortage was serious. As case study, the current state of managing D elementary school library was deeply investigated with perspectives of the first law and the third law of library science among Ranganathan's five laws of library science. With the first law, the investigation was divided into the aspects of open-shelf system, library location, library hours, furniture, and staff. With the third law, the investigation was done as the aspects of shelf arrangement, catalog, extended service, book selection. Especially, books with more than 50 copies for the program of reading one book each semester accounted for 4.8% of the total collection, showing the problem of unbalanced collection. As the result of this study, 'expanding the placement of teacher librarians', 'making better reading environment through remodeling', and 'balanced collection development' were suggested as the ways of developing school libraries.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.271-286
• /
• 2011

The role of information in knowledge society has changed. Library refers to information centre, which is actively involved information collection and promoting use of for the development of individual and society. Modern libraries are the centres of interaction for all interested in accessing information and in participating in the marathon of the present competitive age. Information and a conducive environment of its free flow is a vital tool in all forms of human endeavour. It is the link pin of national development. For a nation to develop it needs to have and provide relevant, updated and adequate information on food security, health, democracy, population, education, family planning, youth empowerment, gender quality, environment etc. The information intermediaries are the persons to modulate these complexities and find match between the information sources and users needs to satisfaction of Ranganathan's law: Books are for use; Every reader his/her book; Every book its reader; Save the time of the reader; Library is a growing organism. The relative importance of these norms in modern context has been evident from experience, study, observations, discussions, etc., and only by scientists and technologists, but also by managers, planners, and policy makers. They recognize the usefulness of information in the performance of their needs information needs. Libraries are therefore proper management, provision and dissemination of such information. It is clearly visible in the contemporary context, that the libraries in the knowledge society are much more than the book depositories This article looks at the theory/practice divide in library and information science and particularly Ranganathan's contributions, basic statements remain as valid in substance if not in expression as -to-day as when they were promulgated, concisely representing the ideal service and organizational philosophy of libraries today.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
• /
• v.54 no.2
• /
• pp.349-374
• /
• 2020

The purpose of this study is to explore the concept, contents, and curriculum of MIL(Media and Information Literacy) proposed by UNESCO from the perspective of Library and Information Science to obtain the basic information necessary for the revision of the Library and Information Life curriculum and to derive implications. As a result of the analysis, UNESCO used the term MIL to highlight the characteristics and importance of information literacy in media education. The information literacy and library literacy were key factors in forming the concept and curriculum of MIL. UNESCO also presented 'information literacy and library skills' as essential areas of the MIL curriculum, as well as core competencies and achievement criteria. In addition, the MIL curriculum actively embraces information literacy and library literacy, with the five laws of MIL based on the five laws of library science. The results of this study could be used as a basis for the reason why MIL should be actively accepted in Library and Information Science and for the revision of Library and Information Life curriculum.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
• /
• v.46 no.1
• /
• pp.11-27
• /
• 2012

This article investigated the lives and careers of three great librarians in India, USA, and Korea: S. R. Ranganathan, Melvil Dewey, and Bong-Suk Park, respectively. It also explored their influences and contributions. Their births and early years, and marriage; college years; commitment toward librarianship and careers; achievements in other areas; personalities; and commemorative activities, among others, were analyzed. Their contributions to librarianship and library community in the general theory of library science, professional education, classification and cataloging, library administration and management, and library associations and library movement were also investigated. Special focus was on Bong-Suk Park, with a special regard to his unrealized dream for the Korean library community as well as insufficient estimation related to him and his achievements.