Teacher or Intermediary: Alternative Professional Models in the Information Age

Abstract

Value premises underlying the "information versus instruction" debate in reference librarianship are examined in the context of technological design issues now before librarianship. Using theory developed by sociologists Rue Bucher and Anselm Strauss, it is argued that reference service is a "core task" for librarianship s professionalization movement. The "information versus instruction'' debate is shown to address a key design issue for reference as a human s6rvice, and that issue is how the service is to be distributed. Following discussion of the conflicting value premises underlying this design issue, certain economic and technological developments that may affect the future of reference service are described. The development of a new model for practice, which transcends both the intermediary and teacher role, is proposed.