I am a librarian, student and teacher; but essentially a day-dreamer. Since I entered to study at IFTS 13 in Buenos Aires (https://ifts13.blog/) and I found out about IFLA and its WLIC I knew that, at some point, I was going to arrive at that global instance. I always think big!

It is a great responsibility to be one of the few librarians of Latin America who participated in the Virtual Congress immersed in a global community.
The WLIC allowed us to rebuild our professional paradigms, and collectively think and channel the dynamics to manage the informational flow of the 21st century. Through the presentations, it became clear that it is essential that the information units generate a forceful and disruptive impact, creating unexpected spaces and new dynamics.

In the projects presented from the different continents, the value of technology was highlighted as a way to publicize and democratize the collections of the several countries:

On the first Congress Day, it was clear that, in today’s fast-paced and overstimulated society, libraries are an oasis of the intellect. They are favorable centers for congenial strategies for an unimaginable future.

The second day was intense. Diversity takes importance in its various nuances. This was followed by the impact of artificial intelligence on global citizens. We are really more than 7000 million interrelated souls; this promoted debate on interreligious dialogue and immigration, crucial axes in the transmutation of the cultural parameters of each of the continents.

And for the last day of the Congress, professional networks were strengthened from theory and practice. Literally a conference presented libraries as incubators for creativity. Essential to promote ecology and innovation as is the case of the University of Macau Library presented by the IFLA ARL Section.

In summary, whereas knowledge was taken from the past, for example, from indigenous communities, the present was analyzed as the promise of a hyper-connected future. In smarter cities, libraries will play a key role. Urbanization will change the way we think, and libraries too. Robots and drones will multiply to collaborate with the tasks of librarians. Information centers will be within integrated urban systems. And due to the considerable increase in technological feedback, we are currently living the decade of dynamic mobile applications: here, the accumulation of interactions is almost immeasurable. For this reason, immense data infrastructures require trained professionals for digital and informational administration. It also requires better cyber-security at the corporate and individual level.

The informational future is promising! It means amplified literacy, education and inclusion.
Has the Earth increased the speed of its rotation? The WLIC 2022, hopefully in person, is getting closer and closer!

Noé Nessel, Buenos Aires, Argentina
e-mail: noe.nessel@bue.edu.ar