'97 w/ automatic.. shifting problem

My '97 has served me very well for the last 12 years. Lately however I seem to be having an issue which I think should be an easy fix. My shifter for my automatic transmission gets stuck in park. Normally there would be sort of a spring loaded noise when I stepped on the parking brake to shift out of park. I don't feel or hear that lately. Could it be a simple adjustment on the brake or is it possibly the beginning of a bigger problem?