A study was made to determine the present state of book storage in large North American academic libraries. A letter was sent to every academic library in the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) to inquire if they engaged in book storage. From the 35 which answered affirmatively, 15 were selected for visitation: the libraries of the universities: California at Berkeley, Chicago, Connecticut, Cornell, Harvard, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Princeton, Purdue, Rice, Texas, Tulane, Wayne State, and Yale. Results indicated that book storage is viewed with distaste, because it inhibits free access to materials and because the costs of weeding, changing library records, and maintaining a storage facility mask its economic advantages. Two alternatives may be available: the conversion of library materials to a less bulky form or the reduction of individual collections through increased interlibrary cooperation. Although review of the policies and practices of the 15 libraries revealed no firm guidelines for book storage, general suggestions were made for the size, location, and design of a storage facility; record keeping; weeding policies; and retrieval for patrons. (SL)