This study was undertaken to determine whether the libraries of Worcester Polytechnic Institute, the College of the Holy Cross, and Clark University should be merged. Four types of data were collected: (1) objective--quantitative analyses of faculty and student use of the libraries and collection duplication/triplication; (2) subjective--opinions and judgements of faculty, students, librarians, and library administration; (3) historical--comprehensive review of success and failure of past interlibrary cooperation; and (4) systems--individual systems requirements of each library and potential for economics through joint action. Costs, monetary and non-monetary, were found to outweigh the benefits of library merger. Two-mile distances between the three colleges rendered it impossible for one library to replace all libraries. The eight recommendations included: (1) study of extending direct borrowing privileges to students from the other institutions; and (2) placement of a single computer output microform catalog of recent acquisitions of all three libraries adjacent to all card catalogs. Descriptions of the libraries and outlines of studies conducted are included. (KP)