These issue papers were prepared for a series of seminars that were sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education's Center for Libraries and Education Improvement, held in part of the Libraries and the Learning Society Project. These seminars brought together librarians, educators, library users, and others to focus on the most effective role for libraries in a learning society. The seminar papers were used as the basis for discussions that were summarized in the final report on the project ("Alliance for Excellence"). This document contains a foreword by Joseph Shubert; "School Library Media Programs and Their Role in Schooling: An AASL (American Association of School Librarians) Response to the 'Nation at Risk Report'"; and the five seminar papers--"'Stemming the Tide' of Mediocrity: The Academic Library Response," Richard M. Dougherty; "Vision to Purpose to Power: A Quest for Excellence in the Education of Library and Information Science Professionals," Jane Anne Hannigan; "Learning at Risk: School Library Media Programs in an Information World," James W. Liesener; "Public Libraries and Excellence: The Public Library Response to 'A Nation at Risk'," Douglas L. Zweizig; and "Libraries and the Learning Society: Relationships and Linkages among Libraries," Peggy Sullivan. (DMC)