Having used hardware synths, samplers and older technology I'm just starting out with all this new stuff, though having no plans to get rid of the old equipment -just merge the old and the new.
Anyway, having had a 1.67GHz Powerbook G4 for about a year and seeing what it can do I can't help but see great possibilities for sample-organizing.

So far I've been using a Yamaha TX-16W sampler which is a nice piece of gear, but on the downside I spend lots of time loading it with samples. organizing stuff etc.
Using the (now free) Typhoon replacement operating system it works a lot better and even handles AIFF samples, so I've moved up a notch creating an audio sample CD containing all my sample CDs converted to AIFF. Now I can audit the samples on my Mac, then transfer the ones I need to use to a floppy disk and load into the sampler. It's a lot easier than before, but still a major hassle.
I guess the next step will be a software sampler. I really know too little about these things and need to start reading FAQs, get hold of demo software or whatever, but for now I thought I'd start with what I already have, then move up from there.

I have lots of AIFF samples (which I assume can be used, not only with my Yamaha TX-16W, but also with a software sampler), and seeing how powerful the iTunes/iPhoto method of organizing stuff into libraries is I can't help but wonder if I could dump my AIFF samples into such a library, then organize it in several ways so that I could easily find/audit any sample for any project. Perhaps it could even be used directly from a software sampler?
I've been playing around a bit with iTunes itself for this (using Libra I'm able to create several separate libraries) which seems to be a good idea, except the minor irritation of playing the next sample in the library. This means that if I have say a percussion library and double-click on the bass drum I will also have to hear the snare, hihat, toms etc. in quickj succession until I press "stop".

So, before I spend lots of time organizing my samples with iTunes, then perhaps havign to do it all again because there's a better solution; what do you guys suggest I do with my sample files, both for now (using it with the TX-16W) and for the future (using a software sampler)?

Take a look at Audio Finder from Iced audio.

It can handle everything from audio only sample cds, rex, mp3 ect.

Limeted editing, but can be linked to full featured audio editor.

Check out the demo, I was so impressed that I bought it.

http://www.icedaudio.com