Addressed to the administrator of the hospital as well as the librarian, this handbook covers aspects of library service policy and long-range planning. While hospitals of all sizes are discussed, a special effort is made to cover problems of small hospitals (17 to 100 beds) in sparsely-settled regions. Contents: The library as a clinical service, Standards and accreditation (including reprints of standards of the JOINT Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals and of the Connecticut RMP Library Services); Balanced investment and level of service output; Audiovisual services; Regional (and national) affiliations for library service; Gifts; 24-Hour access; Centralized libraries and/or station collections; Multipurpose learning facilities; Library services to patients. Quotes from leaders in hospital library development are included, as well as references to the literature. Appendix gives addresses of resource libraries, Regional Medical Libraries, and national organizations; and a reprint of the evaluation questionnaire for libraries used by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals. However, emphasis of the text is on cost-benefit factors rather than on the specifics of qualifying for accreditation. (Author)