Purpose The World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland, in January 2016, brought together leaders from the areas of science and technology, business, health, education, government and other fields as well as representatives from the media. A key theme of the forum was what has come to be known as the “fourth industrial revolution”. Design/methodology/approach News reports and blog posts about the forum gave the impression that this new “revolution” would bring unprecedented advances in science and medicine as well as would hold the potential for a future dominated by intelligent robots and massive levels of unemployment. Findings For example, on January 24, 2016, Elliot of The Guardian reported that the “Fourth Industrial Revolution brings promise and peril for humanity”. Sensational headlines and sound bites are good at attracting attention but they are not very effective with regard to communicating what this revolution is about and what it could mean for our lives, communities, governments and our workplaces in the near and distant future. The snippets of information reported here and there give the impression that robots, artificial intelligence, cloud-based computing, big data and a combination of other technologies are gradually merging to create a new reality which has the potential for revolutionizing our way of life. Originality/value This installment of the Data Deluge consists of an exploration of the fourth industrial revolution, what role libraries might play in this revolution and how our information environment could be forever changed.

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If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation.*Related content and download information correct at time of download.Library Hi Tech News 2015.32:12-15.

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Purpose The purpose of this column is to explore the relationship between the increasing presence of computers and communication technologies during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries on the changed perception of the level of personal time available to individuals. Design/methodology/approach In recent years, there is considerable writing in research journals and the popular media around a cluster of time-related issues which is sometimes referred to “the time crunch”, “time poverty”, “time famine”, “overwork”, “time scarcity” and countless other similar phrases. Findings A predominant contemporary struggle is that we seem to lack the time. We cannot seem to do everything we should and want to do. Originality/value The issue of time poverty is likely to remain with us in both our professional and personal lives. The question “where did the time go?” has been growing in importance since the mid-twentieth century, and it appears reasonable that even if some of the other causes of time poverty such as gender and class inequality, lack of new experiences in later life and cultural tolerance of obsessive attitudes toward work were to be miraculously reversed, the growing persistence and invasiveness of technology in our lives are not likely something that will diminish.

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to challenge librarians to reconceptualize their professional self-image and practice so that it more closely aligns with the information science discipline that is part of the Masters of Library and Information Science degree. Design/methodology/approach This column is primarily theoretical and philosophical but also draws on the author’s observations of trends and patterns in both librarianship and changes in information needs in recent years. Findings Urgent, high-cost information needs created by COVID-19 and climate change coexist in a reality where technological change has made traditional librarian roles and functions less critical. By developing their information science skills and strengthening their professional identity as information scientists, librarians have the opportunity to address the urgent information needs of the day while remaining highly relevant professionals. Practical implications Librarians will need to strengthen their science-related skills and knowledge and begin to promote themselves as information scientists. Social implications Librarians are in a position to make a meaningful contribution to two of the most pressing challenges of the day, climate change and dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Originality/value This paper is relevant to all librarians at any stage of their career. It will help them to reflect on both their skillset and career path and to make any needed adjustments so that they can remain relevant in a volatile and demanding information environment.