This guidebook has been developed to provide Nebraska communities with a practical process to reach a shared vision of library and information service and to put that vision into action in practical steps. The manual is part of the state's Continuous Library Improvement Program (CLIP), a planning process that includes goals and an action agenda. Chapters cover setting the stage for the CLIP and an overview of its planning process, with special attention to getting citizens involved. Creating a library and community profile is an essential first step. Other steps in the CLIP process, from needs assessment through evaluation, are detailed, along with a discussion of trouble shooting. Resources are presented in seven sections devoted to resources for successful meetings, for gathering information, and for the six CLIP steps. An eighth section contains examples of a vision statement, a CLIP plan, and a planning flow chart. (SLD)