176 S.Afr.Tydskr.Bibl.lnligtingk.,1998,66(4) Some reflections and thoughts on the future of books and libraries

The article is the culmination of a quarter century's observations on the ongoing debate for ascendancy between printed books and the electronic media. Implications for library and information professionals and their institutions are considered. At the dawn of a new century and coincidentally the millennium, the opportunity is taken to reat1irm the author's strong faith and belief, after almost a half-century as librarian, that the printed book will survive in the foreseeable future. Hierdie artikel is die kulminasie van 'n kwarteeu se waarneming van die voortslepende debat aangaande die oorheersing van gedrukte boeke deur die elektroniese media. Die implikasies vir biblioteek- en inligtingswerkers en hulle inrigtings word bespreek. Na bykans 'n halfeeu as bibliotekaris, op die vooraand van 'n nuwe eeu en toevallig ook die millennium, word die geleentheid gebruik om sterk vertroue uit te spreek dat die gedrukte boek in die naby toekoms behoue sal bly. Twenty years ago in the course of addressing the Third South African Conference of Bibliophiles in Johannesburg, I took the opportunity to reaffirm my faith in the future of the printed book. I was inspired to do so at the time by the action of the U.S. Library of Congress in establishing the Center for the Book (1977) and in affirming its belief in the importanc