Contents: Preface. Foreword. Introduction. 1. The first law. 2. The second law and its struggle. 3. The second law and its digvijaya. 4. The second law and its implications. 5. Extracts form the draft public library bill central authority and local authority. 6. The third law. 7. The fourth law. 8. Stack-room guides. 9. The fifth law. Appendix. Index.

"Mr. Ranganathan's treatment of the subject is clear, logical and lucid. He has brought to his task extensive knowledge of the literature on the subject of libraries, personal acquaintance with the methods of management of libraries in Britain, a trained analytical intellect and a fervid but enlightened enthusiasm for the library movement. He has been the pioneer of the library movement in the Madras presidency and has been carrying on an energetic propaganda to spread it. He knows how to rouse and sustain the interest of the reader and has produced a very attractive and readable book. I have no doubt it will meet with wide appreciation and soon come to be recognised as a standard text-book of library science."