Scenario planning for libraries

Scenarios are plausible stories about alternative futures. They draw on stories, which are most natural and powerful ways of representing, and understanding, sets of events. Scenarios look at the past and present, and offer insights into a future where things are generally uncertain. They are used by many organisations as part of strategic planning and as a way of forecasting what core competencies the organisation needs to develop for survival and competitive advantage. These ideas are applied to current library practice.