Abstract:

The paper notes the importance of cities in economic and social development. It discusses the characteristicsof ‘smart cities’ and some of the roles that libraries and information services may contribute to their development. It pointsto the need for ‘smart librarians’ in all libraries, and emphasises not only the high level of skills and commitment required, but also the need for them to demonstrate that libraries do make a difference and to ensure that that is well understood by thedecision makers in corporations and government.

Key words: Smart city, Smart library, Smart librarian, Smart people, Smart economy, Smart governance, Smart mobility, Smart environment, Smart living