Skating with Donovan: Thoughts on Librarianship as a Profession
Legal Reference Services Quarterly, Vol. 27, No. 2–3, p. 117, 2008
20 Pages Posted: 14 Jun 2009
Date Written: November 1, 2008
Abstract
James M. Donovan’s article: 'Skating on Thin Intermediation: Can Libraries Survive?' argues that librarians place more emphasis than they might on providing service to library users at a time when information seekers are relying less on intermediaries, and that over-emphasizing service to the detriment of other values diminishes the status of librarianship as a profession. The article presents two contrasting models of librarianship. This article discusses Donovan’s models and comments on the continuing importance of the service model to librarianship.
Keywords: professions, librarianship, law librarianship
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation