A View to the Future of the Library and Information Science Profession: A Delphi Study Shifra Baruchson-Arbib The Department of Information Science, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel Jenny Bronstein Technology Information Center, ECI Telecom A Delphi study conducted in Israel during 1998 –2000 examined the views of library and information science (LIS) experts on the future of the profession in light of the changes in information technology. The study focused on three areas: (a) the transition from the traditional to the virtual library; (b) the transition from the technical to user-centered approach, and( c) the skills and the roles of the LIS professionals. The study found that most ex- perts believe that the traditional library will continue to operate along with the virtual library. Most of the experts agree that in the future, libraries will place larger empha- sis on customer services. LIS professionals will be spe- cialists in locating, filtering, and evaluating information, and will be primary instructors in the use of new infor- mation technologies. This study’s conclusions closely match those of the Kaliper project (1998 –2000), which examined the change in the curricula of LIS schools. Introduction The rapid pace of developments in the field of Informa- tion Technology and the advent of networked information services have prompted a comprehensive review of the Library and Information Science (LIS) profession. The technological developments of the past 25 years, such as electronic databases, on-line services, CD ROMs, and the introduction of the Internet, have radically transformed ac- cess to information, making information readily available, especially for the end user. However, the information over- load is such that greater expertise is demanded in retrieving and analyzing relevant information. The information field has spread out of the libraries and information centers, and has been transformed into an industry that sells, organizes, and processes information. In this period of constant change, the library’s traditional roles of preserving, cataloging, classifying, and readers’ services are undergoing a transformation. Library schools worldwide have confronted technological challenges and adapted their curriculum according to the new develop- ments. In addition, many academic research studies discuss expected changes that the LIS profession is undergoing. Among the central questions raised is the issue of disinter- mediation. In other words, will the easy access to informa- tion completely eliminate the need for the librarian as an intermediary? Another important question concerns the pos- sible transformation of the traditional library into a virtual entity with the majority of the information in electronic format. The authors of this study assume that the Web is not a library substitute, and that there will always be a need for libraries and librarians to help users cope with the ever- changing information environment. However, the LIS pro- fession will certainly change, and the LIS schools will have to meet these developments and change their study pro- grams. The major cause for change in the libraries is, of course, the Internet. The World Wide Web consists of an enormous amount of disorganized information, which may appear easy to use at first glance but can also be confusing. First, the vast amount of retrievable information one can obtain from an Internet search gives the impression that one has plumbed the depths of available information on a given topic. This is not true, because the proportion of available digital content is minute compared to the amount of printed materials available. Furthermore, many printed resources are so large that complete digital conversion is not possible. Second, much of what is available on the Web does not conform to reasonably accepted standards of validation. A significant amount of Web material has been “published” by individuals, without peer review or institutional affiliation. Third, there exists a minimal collection structure or organi- zation. The information retrieved by a researcher from the Internet depends on the adequacy of the search engines and Received March 5, 2001; Revised September 24, 2001; accepted No- vember 30, 2001 © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Published online 6 February 2002 ● DOI: 10.1002/asi.10051 JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, 53(5):397– 408, 2002