Librarians are not professionals because they are not involved with saving lives. However, their job is to be a curator of civilization. (DH)

If librarians from all areas of reference and information service understood their own roles better, then they might feel more capable of fruitful interchange transcending common institutional boundaries. (Author)

Library schools need to reorganize in order to permit specialization in such fields as archivy, special materials or special groups. The philosophy behind such a move is presented. Special mention is made of the position of the archivist within library science. (DH)

The plan proposed in this paper may offer the best means of convincing students that the field of librarianship affords them the creative challenge of dealing with the information explosion and an opportunity to serve with a community of scholars as a subject expert. (2 references) (Author/NH)

Six decision-making steps of the reference process were isolated through development of a model reference query. Instructional modules for each of the steps are described. The program is suitable for library school students or library paraprofessionals. (JAB)

Presented are the results of a study which examined the scope of the ERIC data base. Recommendations include a more explicitly stated policy for selective indexing of data base and indexing procedures, and also a consideration of indexing, but not abstracting, relevant dissertations. (AP)

Reports on research to determine the cognitive style of reference librarians on the field dependence/field independence dimension and to relate cognitive style to personal and professional variables such as role perception, library affiliation, and undergraduate major. Included are two figures, one data table, and a reference list. (Author/JL)

Highlights findings from the Library and Information Science Students' Attitudes, Demographics and Aspirations survey that pertain to reference and information service. Tables and discussion present data on the most desirable types of positions and libraries, students' demographics and ethnicity, prior type-of-library experience, and the search…

This essay on the future of reference librarianship addresses elements necessary to guarantee continued vitality of the profession. Discussion covers person-to-person contacts with library users, recreational functions of library, fees and "information stamps," organizational structure of library, information consulting, project-team…

Two aspects of Karl Popper's philosophy are applied to reference process: process is viewed as series of problem-solving situations amenable to analysis using Popper's problem-solving schema. Reference interview is analyzed in context of Popper's postulate that books contain autonomous world of ideas existing apart from mind of knower. (30…

Describes a strategy for query negotiation, based on a sense-making approach, which enables librarians to understand queries from users' viewpoint. The results of tests of the neutral questioning approach in workshops for librarians are discussed along with participating librarians' responses to this technique. (MBR)