Librarians must know how to provide essential programs and services that make a difference for the people they serve if libraries are going to survive. Meeting Community Needs: A Practical Guide for Librarians shows librarians how to identify real needs, how to meet them with effective services and programs, and how to evaluate their success. When librarians can demonstrate the impact that effective library programs and services have on people's lives, their confidence and ability to argue that libraries are more than "unessential" or "ancillary" services will be strengthened.