There has been no full-length text discussing the academic library system. The few books available are written for the librarians alone. This one is different in being addressed to; besides librarians, the university and government administrators and faculty members to highlight the importance and worth of library and aronse their interest, concern and support, so essential for the development of college and university libraries in India. It is an attempt to meet the long felt need of a comprehensive textbook on the subject at the graduate, post-graduate and research levels; besides being useful to the practicing librarians, their staff and to policy makers and administrators in education.