This paper focuses on innovation and the change triggered by the introduction of new approaches to planned change in professional practice. It presents a range of ideas and theories about innovation and change and speculates about how new approaches get introduced and become accepted into professional practice. The paper concludes by focusing on the nature and characteristics of change (need, clarity, complexity, adaptability) and some theories that might provide for better understanding and management of change, both within the context of individual libraries and across university libraries generally. While somewhat theoretical, the ideas presented come directly from educational theories that are being applied to case-study research underway in Australian university libraries. (Contains 19 references.) (AEF)