Waiting for the millennium: some thoughts on being elected President of the Library Association for the year 2000

Everyone needs milestones in their lives and the millennium provides one, whatever we think of the event personally. Librarians and information workers are facing major changes as this date approaches. Despite having little history, the skills of the professional will be crucial in managing the exponential explosion of information and creativity. The needs of users will focus as much on leisure as academic study, which may be a challenge to some people. Libraries will be points of access, not physical collections which require different psychology for users and professionals alike. The costs of information provision may need to be moved from the institution to the user, with special provision for those with particular social needs. This raises social and ethical issues. The millennium has a spiritual dimension, which may require many people to question the direction in which the profession is going.