Description

Now we're going to look at planning because without knowing where the library is going and what your mission and goals are, there is no way you can possibly be a successful small public library. Serving the public is great, but lots of places serve the public: how does your library serve the public and in what ways; are you a community center; do you supply reading material, research material, or education? There are many different things the library can do; planning allows the library to look at the community's needs and how the resources of the library can best be used to meet those needs. If you are unsure of how to proceed, simply follow the practical steps listed in this chapter. After the practical discussion are sections discussing community assessments, surveys, and statistics -- three important planning tools -- followed by brief allocation and evaluation discussions. Finally, the basic steps for planning a program with a calendar of yearly events for public library programs are listed.