Sample Librarian Software/software Samplers Options

[keybie]

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)?