IN RURAL INDIA, MOBILE LIBRARIES ARE ESSENTIAL TO LITERACY EDUCATION AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT. THE TIN TRUNK LIBRARY, A COLLECTION OF 15 TO 50 BOOKS IN A BOX, IS FLEXIBLE AND ECONOMICAL. HOWEVER, IT IS USED PRIMARILY BY FRIENDS OF THE PERSON IN WHOSE HOUSE THE TRUNK IS PLACED. THE LIBRARIAN OF THE MARKET MOBILE LIBRARY BRINGS BOOKS AND NEWSPAPERS TO THE MARKET PLACE, MEETING PEOPLE OF 20 VILLAGES AT A TIME WHO READ ON THE SPOT OR TAKE MATERIALS HOME. THE BELL BICYCLE LIBRARY CAN MEET THE NEEDS OF READERS IN A CLUSTER OF INTERIOR VILLAGES. THE LIBRARIAN DELIVERS BOOKS FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE FROM A BICYCLE, RINGING A BELL TO ANNOUNCE HIS ARRIVAL. THIS SYSTEM IS PREFERRED BY WOMEN, IS NOT DEPENDENT ON A BUILDING, AND CAN SERVE A LARGE NUMBER OF VILLAGES. A MOBILE LIBRARY CONNECTED WITH THE VILLAGE SCHOOL HAS GREAT POTENTIAL FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION. IT CAN SERVE 10 TO 15 VILLAGES (ABOUT 15,000 PEOPLE) AND THE CONNECTION WITH THE SCHOOL GUARANTEES A READING COMMUNITY. AN INTERLIBRARY LOAN SYSTEM CAN BROADEN COLLECTIONS. FOR THE SUCCESSFUL OPERATION OF A PUBLIC LIBRARY THERE MUST BE A LITERATE POPULATION, THE SUPPORT OF LOCAL LEADERS, A SUPPLY OF BOOKS IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE COUNTRY, AND ADEQUATE FUNDS. (DOCUMENT INCLUDES SAMPLE BUDGETS AND RECORDS, A CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY.) (AJ)