ULOGA STRUČNOGA KNJIŽNIČARSKOG DRUŠTVA DANAS.

The paper presents the opening speech from the 38th General Conference and Assembly of the Croatian Library Association. Giving a historic overview and presenting the experience of the Croatian Library Association, as well as its contemporary priorities and activities, the paper analyzes the goals and tasks of professional library associations today, in modern society which is going through great changes caused primarily by the new technologies and globalization. Furthermore, it questions which reasons should motivate librarians to engage in the work of professional library associations, in the environment in which the libraries themselves are substantially changing their goals and tasks in order to secure their survival, which was seriously questioned by some recent theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]