Although the phenomenon of library anxiety and its debilitating effects on library use have been observed for years, it has only recently been studied in a systematic and scientific manner. This is the first in depth look at the origins and subsequent evolution of this fascinating field of study. Beginning with a discussion of the Library Anxiety Scale, the most widely used measure of library anxiety among college and university students, it investigates a number of theoretical models, provides an extensive framework for conducting research at the institutional level, and offers both research-based and proposed strategies for prevention and intervention.