Re‐examining the role of the public services librarian in the new Information Age

Argues that the rapid developments in computer technology as well as economic changes have made it clear that the conventional role of librarians as information intermediaries must undergo an inevitable change. Stresses that the imminent arrival of virtual reality, i.e. the receiving of images enabling direct interaction with the information, will force librarians to re‐educate themselves to meet this digital challenge if they are ready to avoid being displaced by a variety of contenders in the information business. Attempts to give an overview of the impact the technological changes have on academic library functions and services in particular.