Roadblocks, potholes and obstructions on the path to new library futures

Abstract There are many forces in the current environment tugging at why libraries exist, how they are perceived and what the future holds for them. Their roles and operations are being seriously questioned. Their technologies and those in the digital and publishing industries are changing rapidly, greatly affecting futures. This survey provides an overview of the major forces at play in our education systems and at the academic level especially. The technological environment both present and future is scoped while the rapidly changing publishing environment is surveyed. The chapter is written for those engaged in strategic thinking and who require an overview of the major driving forces which will affect them. It is written from a global internationalist perspective but with local insights.