Libraries and librarians – what next?

As Singapore librarians celebrate the culmination of the landmark Library 2000 Plan, it is an appropriate time to look at what lies ahead for the profession. The purpose of this paper is to provide an edited version of a paper originally delivered at the conference “Celebrating Knowledge: The Power and Potential – 12-15 December 2005 ” organized by the Singapore National Library Board in conjunction with the opening of the new National Library Building. Using a basic model of a library, one that comprises three components – the collection, value added work on the collection, and services that help users exploit and use the collection – the paper discusses each component in light of current technological developments and learning trends to draw conclusions on the relevance of libraries in the future. It is argued that libraries and librarians will continue to play critical roles as the need for the effective preservation and transmission of knowledge in society still remains. As many of these critical roles rely on libraries as permanent institutions, librarians must continue to make significant contributions through their work in institutions such as libraries. The article provides a useful springboard to discuss, identify and elaborate on the roles of libraries and librarians in the near future