They are all praiseworthy tasks which are being carried out in an exemplary way by librarians. The status gained should be maintained, and does not seem to be threatened by other professions. The real challenge ahead lies in our efforts to move successfully into different, hitherto unexplored, areas, where we are going to have to match up to and replace already existing staff. There are some very complicated, information heavy work procedures being practised in many firms today, and this is where we can move in and prove our worth by structuring the work and dealing with the problems more deftly, because of our professional training. We may acquire all kinds of titles, illustrating the roles we are given, but the role as navigator is bound to apply to a great extent to many of the jobs we will be asked to do.
Information is an unlimited resource, and the Internet the ultimative supplier.
To navigate purposefully in cyberspace requires innovative standards of quality management and the role of navigator will demand new strings to our bows. On tomorrow's revolving job stage the navigator's role will be more diverse, and different actors are going to put different interpretations on the part they are going to play. The Union must encourage the entrepreneurial type, who will venture abroad and seek new dimensions for our profession. Before this vision can materialize, the navigators in the educational arena have to pick up the gauntlet in a very big way. More than ever before they are going to have to judge what kind of additional qualifications and competences the firms will be looking for in the future.