Strive to bring staff on board who exhibit the flexible traits I outlined in the previously cited column. Also, rather than thinking that every job requires a full-time, permanent staff member, consider the range of potential staffing opportunities. It's more flexible to hire part-time staff, temporary staff, and contractual staff, if unions involved will allow such options. As your staffing needs change, you can adjust the mix if you are not completely committed to permanent staff. Truly agile organizations will set aside a portion of the budget to move quickly in new directions.
Most libraries lack such money.
In these cases, you might consider trimming areas of the budget to support new endeavors. Still, such exercises are time-consuming and lower staff morale. Also, try to seek extramural funding from foundations and government agencies. An essential organizational trait Libraries are experiencing rapid and unpredictable change. Only a decade ago, the Internet was hardly a blip on most library radar screens.