The impact of information systems on the role of libraries

The distinction between libraries and information systems is, of course, semantically false since libraries have been a form of information system since long before the invention of computers. It is, however, true that the introduction of automation has had a profound impact on libraries. Although the use of computers in libraries for much of the past three or four decades has been primarily for housekeeping purposes this has been because of the limitations of the machinery available and the more far-sighted librarians have long had a clear vision of the potential revolution which might be brought about by advancing information technology in the transmission of information to end-users. It is also possible that a future trend may see the growth of specialised information retrieval services, with one library, or a group of libraries servicing at least the more complex retrieval requirements of all academic users in specific subject areas within the United Kingdom rather than academics having to depend upon their local library for all subjects. An example of where this is already occurring in the United States is the Physics Archive at Los Alamos which is building up a massive database of physics literature available to the whole community. How far and in what direction all these developments are leading us is a matter for conjecture