This report identifies steps that might be taken by organizations, individual libraries, and libraries acting collectively to work towards resolution of the many problems that create the difficult and complex situation facing research libraries that has been brought on by the physical deterioration of books and journals. An attempt is made to clarify the nature of the preservation problem and to assess progress made in recent years. A number of specific recommendations for action are made. In the area of research into the causes of paper deterioration and remedial techniques, a method of generating broader participation is suggested. An analytical investigation of the merits of alternate methods of text preservation is also proposed. Additional needs in the area of education and training are identified, and the importance of specific preservation activity by individual libraries is underscored. The fundamental requirement that preservation of library materials be seen as an inseparable part of the broader objective of extending access to recorded information is affirmed. Approaches to developing a capability for collective action are advanced, and measures to be taken in such areas as storage standards, identification and recording of preservation copies, and preservation priorities are suggested. (Author/SJ)