The consequences of the web have been enormous, and the pace of change
shows little sign of slowing. But, fundamentally, our role remains what
it always has been - to support our institutions in the delivery of
their research and learning strategies. What we need to do to achieve
this, though, is radically different from what it was before the
explosion in networked digital information. If we don't recognise that,
we will become less and less relevant to our academic colleagues and our
students. The assumption that we might cease to require library buildings as we
move towards digital collections has not been borne out. There is huge
demand for space from students, but we are becoming people spaces
instead of book spaces. In the past, there has been no need. We have been the gatekeepers of
knowledge, and our users have had no choice but to engage with us. Now
they do have a choice, they can access knowledge online, so we must
engage more effectively than we have in the past. Having said that, I
think librarians are effective strategists, and we are good at
developing plans, services and business cases to position libraries in
new ways. But we must think from the user's point of view, understand
their needs, create services which are meaningful to them, and be
effective in promoting them.