No resource is more important than the library in the preservation of man's culture and in his quest for knowledge. Yet in the 1950s -- when libraries were desperately struggling to deal with the problems that resulted from efforts to meet the needs of increasing numbers of patrons working in fields where recorded knowledge was growing at an exponential rate -- there was little outside help available to them. It is true that some foundation funds were being channeled into libraries, but these were generally earmarked for the erection of buildings and the improvement of collections and thus failed to attack major sources of difficulty. Confronted with rising costs, staff shortages, outdated buildings and procedures, libraries were falling far short of their own goals as well as the expectations of their users.