Arguing that complaints are inevitable and that complaint handling should be an integral part of the library's public service program, this paper identifies and discusses the components of such a program. Concerns discussed are those that should be of general interest to all types of libraries, and the primary focus is on external complaints, i.e., those made by library users or others not employed by the library. The paper comprises the following sections: (1) Introduction; (2) The Problem; (3) Management Commitment; (4) The Policy Statement; (5) The Procedure; (6) Complaint Receipt and Initial Response; (7) Formalization of the Complaint; (8) Receipt of the Written Complaint; (9) Initiation of Fact Finding; (10) The Fact-Finding Report; (11) Patron Response and Appeal; (12) The Problem Patron; (13) Conclusion; (14) Acknowledgements; (15) References; and (16) Vita. (THC)