Another X chromosome. The perspective of someone relatively new in the field. Yourself and your smarts. - laura x

Sense, sensibility, and what Laura sez. Don't be intimidated by any of those names. - Walt Crawford

Guess I'm just feeling out of practice and out of the loop, so not sure I'm a great choice as a futurist at this point. - Meredith

I don't know any of those people, so they can't be that important ;) Everyone's version of the future is different. You're bound to have some creative and unique ideas. - Kenton

Well thanks folks. :) - Meredith

You probably have the best sense of what kind of service college students need now and in the future, since you talk with them everyday. - The Ghost of Library Past

As far as I can tell, what everybody else said plus OMG cute baby! - Elaine is trying to write

I guess that's true. I hadn't thought of the fact that I'm the only one on that list who is a front-line public services librarian right now. - Meredith

what Dorothea said - oh, a LIBARIAN WORKING IN A LIBRARY! kookytalk that. - jambina

agree (1000) with Dorothea. You're actually doing this stuff! Plus, you can point out all the other librarians who are working hard to keep it relative in this day and age--not just offering theories. - Hedgehog

Ooh, I like what Dorothea said - a reality check that won't bounce. Meredith, I think you are an intelligent, articulate, and yet down-to-earth and approachable librarian. I think you'll be great at this, and I for one am interested in your view of the future of libraries. :) - Laura H.

To put things in perspective I suspect I'm not the only one who is intimidated by a superstar librarian like yourself. :) - aarontay

Thanks everyone! I'm feeling a lot less anxious now. :) Probably the hardest thing for me is playing the role of a futurist -- I am much more of a now-ist and I'm just not thinking in terms of 2020 or even 2012. I'm sure I'll come up with something. :) - Meredith

Definitely what Dorothea said! Talk about what the future looks like on the ground. So important in panels like this! - Sarah

Coming back a bit late: Some of us would say the future evolves out of a considered present--and since you think about what's happening and are actually grounded in that present, you're likely to be a breath of fresh air on the panel. (Sounds like an awfully big panel, though...five plus "several"?) - Walt Crawford

Remember, futurist = guesser (thanks to Charlie Brooker for that) And I'm sure you're as good a guesser as anyone ;) - Pete