Using the situation in West Africa as an example, this paper examines the role and the problems of libraries in developing countries; a problem approach, rather than a country-by-country survey, has been employed. The paper is divided into three major sections: (1) a review of colonial influence, discussing British and French attitudes towards education and libraries and the effect which these attitudes had on the institutions established by the colonial powers in Africa; (2) an examination of the role of the library in the overall development of a country, emphasizing the need for national planning and the integration of library and educational programs; (3) a discussion of the problems facing all types of libraries in West Africa, including staffing, the scarcity of resources, and the need to develop a supportive national bibliographic apparatus. A lengthy bibliography is provided. (Author)