S. R. Ranganathan books in order
Indian mathematician and librarian
- Lived
- 1892–1972
- Country
- British Raj
- Books
- 17
S. R. Ranganathan published 9 non-fiction books and 8 other books, beginning with Colon Classification (1950).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with S. R. Ranganathan
Start here
Colon Classification
S. R. Ranganathan's most-read book.
Non-fiction in order
Reference Service (1940)
Library Manual, for Library Authorities, Librarians, and Honorary Library Workers (1951)
Philosophy of Library Classification (1951)
The Organization of Libraries (1956)
Documentation and Its Facets (1963)
The Five Laws of Library Science (1963)
Ramanujan (1967)
A Librarian Looks Back (1992)
Dr. S.R. Ranganathan (1993)
Other books in order
Classified Catalogue Code (1934)
Prolegomena to Library Classification (1937)
Colon Classification (1950)
Library Book Selection (1952)
Heading and Canons (1955)
Elements of Library Classification (1959)
Library Administration (1959)
Classification and Communication (1989)
About S. R. Ranganathan
Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan was an Indian librarian and mathematician. S. R. Ranganathan is widely known as the “Father of Library Science in India.” His most notable contributions to the field were his five laws of library science and the development of the first major faceted classification system, the colon classification. He is considered to be the father of library science, documentation, and information science in India and is widely known throughout the rest of the world for his fundamental thinking in the field. His birthday is observed every year as National Librarian Day in India.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
S. R. Ranganathan FAQ
- How many books has S. R. Ranganathan written?
- S. R. Ranganathan published 9 non-fiction books and 8 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read S. R. Ranganathan's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Colon Classification.
- What is S. R. Ranganathan's last book?
- Ramanujan (1967).
- What is S. R. Ranganathan's most famous book?
- Colon Classification (1950) is S. R. Ranganathan's most widely read book.
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.