Librarians planning services for youth in correctional facilities face a variety of factors not usually considered in library school classes. The most difficult part of the librarian's job in an institution is the identification of both the library's role and the function of the librarian. These functions must relate to the institution's program and to the residents. Staff, administration, residents, and the librarian may all have different views of the librarian's role. The institutional librarian will also be hampered by a variety of rules, regulations, and other factors which are part of institutional life. Problems will arise in the areas of purchasing library materials, recovering materials from youth who are released, offering adequate service while dealing with security regulations, selecting appropriate materials, facility size and location, and the lack of funding. Librarians in correctional facilities may get help in dealing with some of these problems through State library agencies, the Health and Rehabilitative Library Services Division of the American Library Association, the library units in the American Correctional Association and the Correctional Education Association, and school and public librarians. A list of 21 footnotes and additional references are appended.