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Foundation of Library and Information Science
Notes of books. If a reader retains a book beyond the period of loan, he is depriving other
readers who may want to use the book. There are readers who misplace books with a view
to monopolise their use, tear off pages from books and even steal books. The result is a
gross violation of the Second Law. The readers should be made conscious of the
consequences of such acts through a programme of instruction in library use or user
education as it is now commonly referred to. The Second Law strongly advocates user
education programmes in libraries.
2.3.2 Resource Sharing
Even with the best of efforts it will not be possible to make a library self-sufficient. There would
hardly be any library that is a capable of ensuring every reader his book. Even the most resourceful
libraries of the world like the Library of Congress in Washington and the Lenin State Library in
Moscow would be deficient in this respect. This indicates to the need for resource sharing among
libraries. The resources of one library should be available to the other libraries brought into the
resource sharing network. This can be practised at local, state, regional, national and international
levels. Efforts are already on for promoting such resource sharing and other cooperative
programmes under the auspices of national and international agencies. This is an important step
in the direction of satisfying the Second Law.
Self Assessment
State whether the following statements are true or false:
7. Every reader his/her book is the Second Law of library science.
8. Library has enough funds to buy all the books that it needs.
9. The reader also has certain responsibilities cast on him by the second law.
2.4 Third Law “Every Book Its Reader”
The Third Law of library science is “Every Book its Reader”. As in the First Law, the approach
here is from the angle of the book. Every book in a library should have a chance of finding its
appropriate reader and of being used by him. Investment in unused books is a dead investment
and a waste. This situation should be avoided.
2.4.1 Implications – Open Access
The most effective way of satisfying the third law is to introduce an arrangement in which the
books have a chance of catching the attention of readers. In the open access system, this is
possible. In this system, books are arranged in shelves in the classified order and readers have
freedom of access to them. In the course of the readers’ browsing through the shelves, they may
come across books of interest to them the existence of which they may not be aware of. The
chances of readers noticing the books and reading them are enhanced by the open access system.
The third law, therefore, definitely advocates open access.
To make the open access system work in full conformity with the third law, the staff and readers
of the library have certain responsibilities and obligations vested in them. The classified
arrangement of books, i.e., the arrangement of books in the order of their relationship with
particular subject should be constantly maintained. This means that shelf rectification, i.e.,
restoring the misplaced books to their correct place, should be done by the staff on a regular
basis. They should also provide shelf guides, bay guides, etc., which would guide the readers to
their appropriate regions and shelves in the stack room.
26 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY
