The easiest link for libraries to establish in relation to the learning society is the direct managerial link that many have with educational institutions. Libraries in schools, colleges, and universities of all kinds are significant parts of the education enterprise. They become more so when the emphasis of education shifts to independent learning and the need for access to a wide variety of materials. A learning society, however, is made up of learners, with diverse needs, whose access to information and reading materials may be limited to the public library. While libraries have individual missions, there are overlaps in the kinds of collections and other resources they offer. Each library must be small enough to be manageable, and each needs to be linked with other libraries. Coordination of effort means that some activities and resources may be divided among libraries and agreements reached about what will be borrowed or loaned. Linkages strengthen individual libraries when added to the traditional components of library services. Exchange of information and materials, communications, and cooperative decisions for some libraries in networks or consortia are becoming increasingly common. (JD)