Five Fundamental

Categories
By
Bhupendra Ratha, Lecturer
School of Library and Information Science
Devi Ahilya University, Indore
Email: bhu261@gmail.com
 Background of Fundamental
Categories
 In 1952, Ranganathan published the 4th
edition. This included a major new
development, the introduction of the PMEST
(Personality, Matter, Energy, Space, Time)
categories. The basic idea of five categories
was present in the earlier edition, but was not
clearly defined.
 Fundamental Categories
Main Class

, [P] ; [M] : [E] . [S] ‘ [T]

Many classifiers, catalogers and theorists have struggled with the distinction
between Personality, Matter, Energy, Space, and Time.
 Decreasing sequence of concreteness
 Classification of books in Indian national
library during 1991.
 1991 [T]
 India [S]
 Classification [E]
 Books [M]
 National library [P]
 Personality [P]
 The Personality facet indicates the core point of the
subject at hand.
 Characteristics of main class.
 Comma (,) is Connecting symbol for personality.
 Use of personality in different main classes according to
their facet formula and specific rules.
 Use of Personality
 Personality as a Space [S]

For ex: Indian history V44

British law Z56
 Cont…
 Personality as a time [T]

For ex:
Biography of Dr. Ranganathan 2wM92
 Cont…
 Personality as a Language

For ex:
English language P111
Hindi literature O152
 Matter [M]
 The Matter facet typically deals with some concrete
object, typically inanimate.
 Matter are basically material, property and things.
 Semicolon (;) is the connecting symbol for the matter.
 Use of matter only in few main classes such as
Library science, Biology, Fine arts etc.
 Use of matter
For ex:
Reference book in Library 2;47
Painting on wood NQ;1
Paper currency X61;4
 Energy
 The energy facet indicates to actions, problems or
work efficiency.
 This could be persons, objects or any entity acting
alone or with another.
 This could include conceptual or intellectual entities
as well.
 The connecting symbol for energy is colon (:).
(:).
 Use of Energy
Reference services in national library
213:7
Management of foreign banks
X6295:8
 Space
 Space facet indicates to geographical area such
as nation, state, city.
 Space isolate gave on the page no. For
different areas.
 Use of space in few main class for [P] such as
History, Law.
 Dot (.) is Connecting symbol for space.
 Use of Space

 Political geography of India U5.44

 Income tax in India X724.44
 Curriculum in USA T:2.73
 Time
 We can easily understand to time facet.
 To the time facet given a chapter time isolate
on the page no. 2.7 In the colon.
 In the time isolate, time period can be divided
in millennium, decade, year etc.
 Use of time in different main class according
to their rules.
 The connecting symbol for time is single
inverted comma (‘).
 Use of Time
 International trade in 20th century.
X:5.1’N
 University education in 1951
T4’N51