So what exactly is the future for libraries?

Greater access to information waiting to be transmuted to knowledge and perhaps wisdom. Increased complexity in searching - forget the 'user friendly' paradigm or worse, that old chestnut of simple is best (it ain't) - and greater than ever challenges for librarians and their clients.
We were having a discussion at work recently as to how long a librarian who left the profession could stay out and then reenter it without being out of date. We were talking about needing to do serious relearning or risk being terminated on the grounds of being useless. I was an optimist and suggested maybe five years. Others think it is now less than a year for a higher education institution. So keep on running.
This web site article is from the Da Vinci Institute and features some ideas about what the future may hold for libraries. Thanks to Savita at RMIT for the link.
http://www.davinciinstitute.com/page.php?ID=120