ABSTRACT
By now you have probably completed many of the preliminary steps required to plan a special library. Before you proceed any further, look over your work. Have you based your plans on present conditions? If so, start over! In the early stages, you must keep in mind, first and foremost, that you (or your predecessor) are often to blame tor at least some of the failures of your present library or information center. If you begin planning the new facility with preconceived notions, you will have set limits that do not necessarily exist. At least in the beginning, you should “think big.” Allow your mind to wander into fantasy, to think “if only the library had …and you will literally open up new doors. If you don’t dream about what could be, you will wind up with what you already have. A wish list can, and will, be modified as planning progresses, but it is often impossible to expand space once you have stated your requirements. Set your sights high, and then prioritize your goals. Expect compromises. You will make them daily, but so will everyone else, so choose battles wisely. Know what you are willing to fight for and what you can live without.
