KNOWLEDGE AUTOMATION AND THE NEED FOR INTERMEDIARIES

Although librarians have always agonized over the status of librarians hip as a profession, in recent years the debate has been intensified b y the revolutionary changes associated with information technology. Dr aws together research from a variety of disciplines to consider why an d how advanced information technology is qualitatively different from older technologies of information, and why this promotes changes at bo th the individual and the social level. Concludes from this analysis t hat there are two diverging directions for organizational and societal development: towards technocracy or towards the learning organization and the learning society. In both there will be roles that could be f illed by librarians, but the learning organization's network structure would offer many more opportunities for active intermediary roles, an d it is in accord with the social ethic of the library profession. In a technocracy, the librarian might assume the high status role of 'kno wledge manager' but be out of touch with the ultimate users of informa tion. Considers the pursuit of professional status by librarians as no t being the best way to ensure the continuation of the 'social ethic' according to which librarians are educated.