Virtual and Non-Virtual Realities; The Changing Roles of Libraries and Librarians

Abstract

What future will there be for libraries and their librarians? We will try to give an answer to this pressing question. This paper does not deal with Utopian libraries of the next century, but with the library and the librarian of the next decade. The accent is on libraries within educational and research institutions, especially university libraries.

We shall look at the changes the library is going to be confronted with. We see the library of the future as being characterised by four key aspects. In the first place it will be a gateway to information, whatever format this information comes in and wherever it is located. Secondly, the library will be an expertise centre. Nevertheless, there will still be a clear need for the library to be a physical entity, not only in the sense of being a social meeting place and place of scholarly interaction, but also as a place where students and other users are provided with modern study facilities and adequate user support. Furthermore, the library will retain its importance as an collection centre of printed material.

The library of the near future can only take on an appropriate shape and will only survive if the institutions that librarians serve in meet the four criteria just outlined. The librarian will have to meet demands on his professional knowledge and skills. He must have good didactic, organisational, communicative and people skills. New job responsibilities and job attitudes will be required.