ABSTRACT
Librarians discuss the changing role of the library in the cultural, social, and economic structure of society. They express concern that the essential nature, values, and practice of librarianship are threatened by change. Librarianship is caught in a sea of dynamic change; preservation, control, and dissemination of recorded knowledge appear to be at risk in a world where uncertainty, contingency, and the transforming nature of electronic media are increasingly dominant. General forces of change confront libraries and society at large in the transition toward global digital information services. However, for libraries to similarly accommodate these newer electronic media, they must redefine basic procedures, services, structures, and principles that reflect postmodern culture. The postmodern librarian faces distinctions between the world of print and the postmodern digital world. These distinctions involve resources, services, facilities, patrons, and the human resources and skills associated with the profession of librarianship. The volatile and pervasive nature of technological change presents libraries and librarianship with unprecedented challenges.
