Instead of the usual essay manuscript this paper presents a group of questions which librarians must answer in order to decide what role they will play in either the growth or development of the college library collection. Among the questions posed are: (1) What type of institution is the American college today? (2) Who determines its objectives? (3) Who should participate in the book selection process? (4) What role should the faculty assume in collection development for the college library? (5) In what ways may the development of the college library collection be affected by the up-swing in reprint and facsimile publishing? and (6) What should a book selection policy for developing a college library collection contain? For background reading, a few titles are suggested as basic for establishing an understanding of the American college today and what might be expected of its library collection. (NH)