Thing 10: Future Trends

When I first went to Library School, one of my professors proposed an image of the Library as being the gateway to knowledge and the Librarian as the gatekeeper!  That image has always stuck with me.  No matter what direction Libraries take, there is always going to be a need for the gateway to knowledge and the Librarian's role is still going to be the gatekeeper!  How will our Library (the gateway to knowledge) and the Librarian (the gatekeeper) look in 2020?  I doubt if there will be many significant physical changes to the Library as a set of rooms---we may move some furniture around, add/delete print materials, but the greatest change has already revolutionized Libraries through the Internet!  I think our greatest challenges in carrying out the mission and goals of the Library is going to be that of staying ahead of, or a least the minimum, staying abreast of, all the "bells and whistles" that keep bombarding us.  It will also be through the mutual support of Library Systems, Libraries and Librarians as a group, that we will face the continuing challenges and stay leaders in our field.