The Future of Library and Information Science Education

This paper was prepared for the Council of Deans and Directors program in conjunction with the AALS 1978 Conference. It deals with the importance of planning for the future of libraries and library education. The Delphi technique was used in gathering information and two rounds of questionnaires were sent to a sample of members of the Association of American Library Schools, with the dean and one tenured faculty member of these schools being asked to participate. From a questionnaire listing 85 events respondents selected 20 events which might occur and which might influence libraries and library education. In the second questionnaire, the participants indicated the "probability" of occurrence of each of the 20 events and also the "desirability" of each. A summary of these responses is included as well as a brief concluding statement. WHAT IS the "future of the future" for libraries and the information science profession? What conditions and trends will affect the services of libraries and the programs of library schools? As social and technological change accelerates, it becomes increasingly important to look ahead and to develop effective plans and alternate plans in anticipation of future changes. It is important that the library profession plan to manage the future, not be managed or overwhelmed by it. A course of action endorsed by the program committee of the Council of Deans and Directors of the AALS was set up to try to get opinions and reactions from persons in AALS member schools about possible future trends which might affect libraries and library education. The ultimate objective was to plan now to make changes, as needed or desired, in