The 15-year history of the development of library automation is traced, and four major obstacles which had to be overcome are identified: the lack of funds for development, programing, and testing; the need for a common data base; the need for cooperative arrangements among institutions; and the need for widely-available on-line processing. Seven trends of the future are enumerated: minicomputers, turn-key systems, microwave and telecommunications satellites, large random-access computer stores, expanded data bases, cooperation, and national planning. (SK)