This report is designed to provide practical assistance to government officials and librarians responsible for the planning, creation, and development of national library services. Based on a number of authoritative studies and a broad consensus among experts, including directors of national libraries, these guidelines give special attention to the needs of developing countries and provide various options so that individual countries may select those best suited to their particular circumstances. The report covers the following topics: (1) national library collections, including national and foreign literature, legal deposit, and manuscripts; (2) the national bibliographic agency; (3) readers' services, including Universal Availability of Publications and of Information (UAP and UAI), centralization versus decentralization, reference and circulation, referral services, interlending, locating tools, repositories, services to the handicapped, and exhibitions; (4) conservation; (5) domestic relations, including training and research, networking, library associations, and national archives; (6) international relations, including exchanges, organizations, and programs; (7) status and management of national libraries; (8) buildings and equipment; and (9) libraries with dual functions. Final remarks summarize the responsibilities and discuss the importance of the national library. (CGD)