LIBRARY - PM Shri KV, Missamari

Wednesday, August 13, 2025

NATIONAL LIBRARIAN DAY

BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF DR. S R RANGANATHAN

Date: 12 August

Purpose: To commemorate the birth anniversary of Dr. Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan, celebrated as the Father of Library Science in India.

Born on 12 August 1892 in Shiyali village, Tamil Nadu, India.
Initially studied mathematics and was a professor before shifting to library science.

Five Laws of Library Science: Introduced in 1931, these are fundamental principles still followed worldwide.
Colon Classification System: A revolutionary library classification scheme that was more flexible and faceted compared to the traditional Dewey Decimal System.
Advocated for making libraries accessible to all, emphasizing user convenience and the practical use of books.
Promoted professional education and training for librarians in India and beyond.

Served as a librarian at the University of Madras and later at Banaras Hindu University.
Authored several influential books and papers on library science and information science.
Actively involved in establishing library science departments in Indian universities.

Ranganathan’s vision transformed the approach to librarianship from mere storage of books to a service-oriented profession.
His work helped establish the framework for modern library systems and information science education globally.
National Librarian’s Day serves as a reminder of his contributions and encourages innovation in libraries.
Many library and information science institutions in India conduct special programs, seminars, and workshops on this day.