ABSTRACT
The Alarmists say that librarians will soon be replaced by commercial publishers, icons, and the Information Superhighway. Equilibrists take the view that librarianship and librarians will maintain the status quo in spite of environmental change. The truth may lie somewhere in between the two extremes, neither of which may be a realistic approach to take in a world that has always been changing if perhaps never at such a fast rate and with such uncertain results. The serials professional must learn from the past, not for nostalgic 188reassurances but for ascertaining patterns, issues, and strategies. While microforms and facsimile issues are not completely parallel to the electronic journal, there are similarities that may provide some important lessons. Serials professionals can analyze current trends, study the issues, and take steps that will solidify their positions in libraries without trying to guess what will happen to the publishing world by the year 2000 or any other year. Complacency has no room in librarianship but neither does a sense of despair and panic. Solutions abound. The trick is to find the right ones.
