Suggestions for the Organization of Libraries in India Book

SUGGESTIONS FOR THE ORGANIZATION OF LIBRARIES IN INDIA BY S. R. RANGANATHAN, M. A., L. T.. F. L. A. PRESIDENT, INDIAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION SECRETARY, MADRAS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION LIBRARIAN, BENARES HINDU UNIVERSITY NCH GEOFFREY CUMBERLEGE OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS CONSPECTUS This book aims to relate library organization to education and provides a description of library tech nique in brief. It is based on the assumption that the days of mass-teaching are over and a new era of individual instruction is about to commence. Education is defined as a lifelong process in which the school provides only the initial momentum, and the library system is one of the necessary aids to perpetual self education for all. The first part deals with self - education, library civics, correlation of class-teaching with library work by the provision of background study, parallel reading and follow-up work, library finance and library build ings. This part is turned on teachers. The second part is devoted to the technique of library management. Thousands of librarians are wanted for schools in rural areas, but owing to a lack of training institutions, tlrey are not forthcoming. But with the use of this book one, with a sound general education, could perform the duties of a librarian quite efficiently till a competent man takes his place. Ready-made class numbers by the Colon Classification, elementary rules for cataloguing and a description of every type of library routine will be found in these chapters. The chapter on reference service sets forth two cycles of lessons on library-use planned on the concentric system. A blue print for the library edifice of India is provided in the third part. The distinctive role different types of libraries will play are shown academic libraries such as those at schools, colleges, CONSPECTUS universities and research institutions public libraries such as urban, rural, regional, and provincial and national central libraries and business libraries of all kinds. The part schools should play in accelerating the establishment of a national library system in India are clearly portrayed. Benares November 1946 S. R. RANGANATHAN VI CONTENTS CONSPECTUS ....... v PART I LIBRARIES AND EDUCATION 11 LIBRARY AS A MEANS OF EDUCATION 1 12 FORMING THE LIBRARY HABIT .... 4 is THE SCHOOL LIBRARY AND THE NEW EDUCATION . 14 14 LIBRARY BUILDINGS ..... so 15 SCHOOL LIBRARY FINANCE .... 38 16 THE TRINITY OF RKADERS, BOOKS AND STAFF . . 39 PART II LIBRARY PRACTICE 21 CLASSIFICATION ...... 47 22 CATALOGUING ...... loo 23 REFERENCE SERVICE ..... 114 24 ISSUE WORK ....... 123 25 ROUTINE ....... iso 26 LIBRARY STANDARDS ..... 145 PART III THE NATIONAL LIBRARY SYSTEM 31 INTRODUCTION ...... iso se ACADEMIC LIBRARIES ..... 152 33 PUBLIC LIBRARIES ...... 156 34 BUSINESS LIBRARIES ..... 159 35 CO-ORDINATION OF LIBRARIES .... 162 36 LIBRARY LEGISLATION ..... 167 INDEX 171 Vll PART I LIBRARIES AND EDUCATION CHAPTER II THE LIBRARY AS A MEANS OF EDUCATION III SELF-EDUCATION The library is a means of self-education. Self emphasizes a difference between the library and the formal school in which education is acquired largely through a teacher. 112 PERPETUAL EDUCATION The library is a means of perpetual self-education. Perpetual emphasizes another difference between the library and the school in which the course of education is limited to a few years. Boys and girls are abandoned by the school before they are adult, while they still know almost nothing of the problems that lie ahead of them and are largely unequipped for the journey of life. That is why some people even go to the length of saying that real education begins only after leaving school. Let us grant, at least, that education should be continued afterwards is it not said that one goes on learning from the cradle to the grave When a youth has left school, the library is still available to him as a means of education and will continue to be accessible throughout his life...Read More