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American public libraries face many current challenges in meeting the ever-changing needs of their patronage. Traditional institutions are beginning to offer non-conventional services in order to maintain high levels of use among the community, prompting an overall review and analysis of organizational mission. New direction, objectives, goals and the incorporation of any new collections, services or programs require a solid philosophical foundation before they can be properly implemented. This study examines an assortment of mission statements from a variety of public libraries in different geographic locations throughout the United States. Separated by service population size, their unique mission statements are analyzed to reveal subtle differences in emphasis while highlighting major similarities