A three part approach was taken in this situation report on the role of the special libraries in the United States. First, several background papers were prepared about the definition and state-of-the-art of the field of special librarianship. These papers are: (1) Shera, Jesse H., "Special Libraries--Why 'Special'?, (2) Ash, Lee, "Defintion of Grouping of Special Libraries", (3) Aspnes, Grieg, "The State of the Art of Special Librarianship", (4) Rathbun, Loyd, "Highlights of Problems Facing Special Libraries", and (5) Woods, Bill M., "The Potential for Special Libraries in Cooperative Ventures for Sharing Library Resources". Second, a survey of 911 selected special libraries was conducted to determine the major problems and contributing potentials to cooperative schemes by these libraries. Last, an advisory panel of special librarians was convened to discuss the special problems and solutions facing special librarians in the future. From these three sources came the recommendations for more federal support in the areas of (1) training librarians and determining manpower needs, (2) gathering statistics and promoting surveys of libraries, (3) conducting research in information science, library automation, and the use of libraries and info"mation, (4) building library facilities and resources, and (5) encouraging new methods of information sharing and the development of library networks. (CM)