Reflections on Five Laws of Library Science in the Digital Age

Authors

  • Leiter Richard A Director of the Schmid Law Library & Professor of Law, University of Nebraska College of Law, Lincoln, Nebraska

Keywords:

S R Ranganathan, Five Laws of Library Science, Information Science, Law Libraries, Digital Environment

Abstract

Reminds readers of the first principles of librarianship as enunciated by S R Ranganathan, the great Indian library theorist, and explores their meaning in the digital age with stress to law libraries. Opines that as information professionals struggle through the myriad crises that challenge the budgets, the resources, the physical space and in some cases the profession's very existence-it is easy to forget that at the heart of every library beats a basic tenet derived from Ranganathan's first principles: to unite patrons with information.

Author Biography

  • Leiter Richard A, Director of the Schmid Law Library & Professor of Law, University of Nebraska College of Law, Lincoln, Nebraska
    Richard A Leiter earned his undergraduate degree (with honors) in 1976 from the University of California, Santa Cruz, his J.D. in 1981 from Southwestern University School of Law and MLIS from the University of Texas at Austin. Was Associate Dean of Information Technology & Services and Professor of Law at Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C. and Library Director and Associate Professor at Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach, Virginia.  Presently he is Director of the Schmid Law Library & Professor of Law, University of Nebraska College of Law, Lincoln, Nebraska. Has written widely on law library, legal research, and legal information technology issues. His book, National Survey of State Laws,  is widely referred and was named An Outstanding Resource by the New York Public Library. He also co-authored published Landmark Supreme Court Cases. Has received numerous awards and recognitions in the field of Legal Studies.

References

Cohen, Morris (1971). Towards a Philosophy of Law Librarianship,64 LAW LIBR. J. 1, 4 (1971).

Danner, Richard A (1998). Redefining a Profession, Law Libr. J. 315, 336 .

Leiter, Richard A (1996). The Five Laws of Library Science, Legal Assistant Today , Nov.-Dec. 1996, at

Ranaganathan, S.R (193). The five Laws of Library Science. London, Blunt, (1957 Ed).

Published

2020-03-19

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 1 (2020): S R Ranganathan Memorial Volume Part V

Section

Articles

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