Public libraries must function in a time of limited funding, increasing technology, and shifting demographics and client needs. To fulfill their role, libraries must manage change through effective planning. This book analyzes case studies of planning at several representative libraries, illustrating how formal planning procedures are adapted to changing circumstances. The study is based primarily on interviews with staff members at each site, drawing wherever possible on their own words and on related documents and surveys.

The heart of the book is a set of narrative descriptions of...