The purpose of this paper is to help understand of the, definitio~~ of, componativelibraianship and the methodology of comparative study in librariansliip. Comparative librarial~sl~ip may be defined as the systematic anallsis of library derelopmetit, practices, or problems as they occur under different circumstances (most usually in different count r ~ e s ) , considered in the c o ~ t t x t of tlle relevant historical, geographic, political, economic, social, cultural, and other determinant backgrourd factors found in the situations under study. Essentially it co~~stitutes an important approach to the search for cause and effect in library development, and tu tl~e understandillg of library problems. The mctl~odology of comparatiw study i n libranianship includes four steps; i)description, iilinterpret at ion, iiiulcorner juxtaposition, iv! comparison.