Based on observations made during a 1979-80 study trip, this paper presents a critical view of academic librarianship and libraries in India, emphasizing issues confronting the library profession and its ability to fulfill library objectives in a developing nation. It is noted that modern India is a society closely tied to tradition while at the same time adapting to change, largely through western institutions and technology. The paper describes (1) the nature of Indian society and its implications for librarianship; (2) the complexities of India's higher education system, which is a borrowed institution whose effectiveness is compromised by an inefficient bureaucracy, a lack of skilled teachers, and questionable productivity; (3) the development of academic libraries in modern India, due in part to a strong commercial publishing base and also to the efforts of librarians such as S. R. Ranganathan; (4) library collections, services, and administration at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), located in Varanasi; (5) BHU's library school; and (6) resource sharing and cooperation among Indian libraries. It is concluded that library accomplishments are more difficult to achieve in India's complex social structure than in western nations. (Author/ESR)