This publication is the first formal summation of results on a nationwide basis of progress under the Library Services Act, a State-local-Federal cooperative program for extension and improvement of public library services to rural areas. The two previous bulletins of this series have been concerned with "plans"; this publication is concerned with "results." A survey was undertaken by the U.S. Office of Education which confirmed other statistics and information available on the status of public library development in 1956 just prior to the passage of the act. The situation, in brief, was that 26 million people in rural areas were without any public library service, 50 million more had inadequate service as measured by State standards, and over 300 rural counties were without any public library within their borders. Good public library service--freely available to all our people--is a basic part of the Nation's total educational and cultural program. Because most of the people who had little or no public library service lived in nonurban areas, it was for these areas that the Library Services Act was passed by the 84th Congress and signed into law by President Eisenhower in June 1956. A reassessment of the program at this time, through the compilation and analysis of information from State reports, is both useful and necessary. Many sentences in the summaries are taken directly from these reports. This basic information will help in the overall determination of library goals and help guide in the decisions being made in the States and local communities in establishing the best patterns of library organization and the best methods of financial support. Two appendixes provide: (1) State Plan Programs for Fiscal 1959; and (2) Public Law 597, 84th Congress. A bibliography of manuals, surveys, and films is included. Individual sections contain footnotes. (Contains 4 charts and 10 tables.) [Prepared by the Library Services Branch. Best copy available has been provided.]