THE PRINCIPAL EDUCATIONAL GOALS OF AMERICAN PUBLIC LIBRARIES BETWEEN 1833 AND 1964 WERE CIVIC ENLIGHTENMENT AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, ACCOMPANIED AT VARIOUS PERIODS BY MORAL BETTERMENT, VOCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT, OR CURRENTLY, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THE MAJORITY OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES PROVIDE NOT ONLY MATERIALS, BUT ALSO PERSONAL ASSISTANCE, STIMULATION OF FULLER USE OF RESOURCES, AND SERVICE TO GROUPS. THEY ORIGINALLY HELD EDUCATION OF ADULTS AS THEIR CENTRAL AIM, BUT DURING THE LATE 1800'S AND EARLY 1900'S THE OBJECTIVES OF RECREATION AND REFERENCE LARGELY TOOK PRECEDENCE OVER EDUCATION. SUCH SERVICES AS BRANCH LIBRARIES, TRAVELING LIBRARIES, AND BOOK LISTS WERE BEGUN. DURING THE 1920'S AND THE DEPRESSION, ATTEMPTS WERE MADE, MAINLY THROUGH THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, TO REVITALIZE THE EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE. THE PERIOD, 1941-56, WAS DISTINGUISHED BY THE PUBLIC LIBRARY INQUIRY OF 1947 AND SEVERAL FORD FOUNDATION PROJECTS AND SURVEYS. WIDER COOPERATION, FEDERAL ASSISTANCE, ADEQUATE SERVICE TO STUDENTS, AND IMPROVED ACCESS TO LIBRARIES WERE IMPORTANT CONCERNS DURING 1957-64. SUGGESTIONS ON RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH ARE MADE. (SELECTED READINGS ON ADULT SERVICES, AND EXTENSIVE REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.) THIS DOCUMENT IS AVAILABLE FROM THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, CHICAGO. (LY)