Revisiting the Contributions of Dr. S. R. Ranganathan to Library Science With Special Reference to Knowledge Organization

Dr. S. R. Ranganathan is widely recognized in India as the Father of Library Science. The global library community, as well as the entire Indian library profession looks back on his contributions with gratitude. The year 2025 marked the 133rd anniversary of his birth. More than fifty years have passed since he left this world, making it natural to discuss the relevance of his contributions in the context of an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven society. With reference to the concept of an AI society, this article outlines his contributions and examines their continuing relevance in the context of the digital society, which is transforming day-to-day library operations, with particular emphasis on knowledge organization. Dr Ranganathan’s contributions to the Five Laws of Library Science, classification, cataloging, the Three Card System, and the Staff Formula, among others, are revisited with special reference to knowledge organization. The article also argues that we should commit ourselves to fulfilling his unfulfilled vision and work to advance the profession. It concludes that his theory and philosophy remain relevant and are still recognized as valuable means of addressing a wide range of issues in knowledge organization and other areas related to libraries and their users in the contemporary world.