It is the responsibility of school librarians to provide the specialized assistance necessary to serve inner city children. Although there have been new titles depicting the life of the inner city child, these are not abundant in the library collection. School librarians must understand how children learn to read so that they can provide proper instruction. Another significant factor in the literacy development of children is modeling behaviors. Negative attitude toward reading may develop in children who come from home environments where reading is not nurtured or reinforced. Some strategies for developing literacy in inner city children include understanding their background and interests; presenting the children with a comfortable environment in which to listen and read; capturing their interests and imagination through story telling; organizing a literacy group which involves parents; encouraging them to set up a reading routine; presenting them with a variety of literature; and incorporating literacy instruction with other subject matter. (AEF)