With a grant from the U.S. Office of Education, the System Development Corporation undertook a study to assist the federal government in defining its relationship to public libraries over the next decade. The first objective was to analyze the public library as an information-providing agency and to identify the major problems and issues of the library. The public library was considered in terms of its history, the number and types of libraries, political and administrative organization, financing and staffing, present services and evaluation of those services, utilization and image of the library, public library systems and relationships with other institutions and developing trends in public libraries. The second objective of the study was to develop recommendations for future Federal support roles relevant and responsive to the public library situation. The recommendations were based on the analysis of the library situation and an analysis of Federal information dissemination policy. Information for the study was gathered through a review of the literature, library project site visits, input from prominent librarians and a Delphi study. (JG)