Books Are For Use

By Barbara Fister. Scratch a librarian and you're likely to find some Ranganathan. The "five laws of library science" were first formulated by Indian librarian S. R. Ranganathan in 1931, but even today many fledgling librarians can recite them by heart. They're short, and they're pretty sweet. They begin with the proposition that "books are for use." Ranganathan was emphasizing the use of books over their protection at a time when open stacks were a bit radical. Today, it's still a meaningful phrase. Books shouldn't be a ticket required for a steady job or a badge of scholarly distinction. They should be read. They should be used. Read more...