This article profiles Rick J. Block, the recipient of the 2008 "LJ Teaching Award." Despite his "day job" and a heavy schedule of classroom teaching, Block finds time and intense energy to be the mentor, internship supervisor, and individual advisor to the students who fill every available seat in his classes at two LIS…

Discussion of the criteria of professionalism, and four ways that librarians fail to attain professional status: they are often subordinate to their patrons; the esoteric knowledge in the field is unimpressive; they lack a highly exclusive professional association; and they have a poor public image. (LS)

Development of librarianship as a profession is impeded by the librarian who is intent on developing the means to fulfill user needs without regard to the client, as well as those people who believe there is nothing esoteric or complicated about librarianship. Comments from selected CLW readers are included. (Author/MBR)

Librarianship is not fully recognized as a profession. In order to gain the full professional recognition and autonomy that it deserves. Librarianship must develop a new awareness and conception of itself and its potential. Its definition of "service" must change. Librarians must develop an integrated set of common values at a field level and be…

Academic libraries now hire an increasing number of individuals to fill professional librarian positions who do not have the master's degree in library science. Academic libraries are also creating a wide range of new professional assignments that demand diverse educational backgrounds. Additionally, responsibilities formerly carried out by…

The history of the American Library Association and the development of librarianship as a profession are outlined. (PF)

Librarianship is not a profession. Most librarians fail to meet, for want of substantive knowledge, the three measures of professional functions. Most librarians are and will be advanced technicians until library education is considerably improved. (23 references) (Author)

The unresolved problem of titles with their attendent effect on professional status in the field of librarianship is discussed at length. (NH)

It is time for librarians to discard the blind alley of professionalism and agree among themselves to shift gears and change directions. This will divert the librarians' energies to the process of developing better service and satisfaction for all users. (Author/NH)

Achievement of the improvement of the status and conditions of librarians as the prime objectives of any library association is discussed. (AB)

Provides a brief history of the life of Melvil Dewey, describing his many accomplishments in several diversified areas. Fourteen references are listed. (CHC)

The traditional model of a profession is shown to be deficient in several ways, and a new model is developed based on the ideas of general systems theory. (PF)

This description of the distinguishing characteristics, criteria, and responsibilities of a true profession provides an analysis of the traits attributed to professional services by society in the hope that librarians will use them to improve the status of their field. Chapters examine the following topics: the meaning of the term profession,…