Describes the Ohio State University Libraries' Gateway to Information project, which was developed to help users find, evaluate, and select materials in any format; access online catalogs and CD-ROM databases; and apply information seeking and critical thinking skills independently. Funding support is discussed and Gateway's impact on the future…

The conditions and the rhetoric have changed; but in the age of the "instant librarian," the future still depends on the school media specialist's ability to focus on the user as an individual and provide an environment that promotes learning. (Author)