The newly-constructed Julia Ideson building, central library public service programs, branch and extension services, support services, and the Houston public library board are described in this review of the Houston public library's activities in 1979. The report also includes statistical comparisons of the number of borrowers, materials circulated, reference questions, books in stock, book budgets, and total budgets between 1970 and 1979, with additional statistics given for the years 1978 and 1979. A Houston public library directory and a map of the Houston public library system are provided. (FM)