Cuts and the special library

When the conference organizer first approached me some months ago and persuaded me to deliver this paper, the title—initially ‘Cuts in Special Libraries’—rapidly crystallised to ‘Cuts and the Special Library’. This happened because I decided that I must cover the two aspects, namely public sector cuts which will impinge on special libraries and cuts in the provision of resources in the special library itself. I came to this conclusion since I see the two as interacting, as well as stemming from the same general economic climate in this Country; hence both aspects will affect most, if not all, of us who work in special libraries.