Библиотека и библиотекари в ближайшие двадцать лет, или В ожидании сингулярности

Libraries’ functions in the era of digital communications are defined; the need for fundamentally new approach toward library services to reflect digital society demands is substantiated. The author concludes that, in the radically new circumstances, libraries will offer complex of user-oriented services relevant to the society’s interests. The libraries will cease to be institutions for document arrays acquisition, storage and delivery for public use, and become the open innovative and education sites to support every form of gaining knowledge and competences enabling users to adapt to continuously changing environment. The author suggests several measures to preserve the social institution of libraries in the circumstances of high technologies exponential growth. The author emphasizes that the libraries’ task is to organize and to hold lectures, trainings, workshops, discussions to motivate knowledge gaining, to widen horizons and develop users’ critical thinking. With these activities, the libraries will convert into intellectual center, improve their reputation and increase their role considerably. The author also argues that changes in library functions will inevitably result in transformed library structure and space. The importance of interaction with the user groups is emphasized.