Planning for Library Excellence

Book excerpt: Intended to be used by librarians, this guide will also be useful to boards of trustees, governing officials, members of funding agencies, and community support groups involved in planning on a local level and within the context of regional and state library service. It provides information to help libraries plan and evaluate their services and meet the needs of users in the most effective way their resources will allow. Information is presented in three major sections: (1) administration and planning (structure and governance, planning, finance, public relations, friends and junior friends of the library); (2) resources (facilities, collections, personnel, staff development, volunteers, automation); and (3) services (access to service, reference, interagency cooperation, programming, extension). Each section contains a philosophy statement, goals, guidelines, and a bibliography. Appended materials include selected sections from Virginia's Freedom of Information Act; requirements for grants-in-aid; library lighting standards; a site evaluation questionnaire; the "Library Bill of Rights"; "Freedom to Read" statement; "Freedom to View" statement; "Free Access to Libraries for Minors"; "Guidelines for Library Services to an Aging Population"; "Standards of Practice for Professional Librarians"; "Statement on Professional Ethics"; "Children's Services Suggested Guidelines"; "Young Adult Services Guidelines for Virginia"; and a glossary. (SD)