Librarians beyond mediation

Resumen

Since modern information professionals are mediators between information providers, information users and information technologies, they have to bridge intellectual, social-cultural and communication gaps in the mediation of information and the related processes.
Their multiple roles take on a hybrid quality that demands flexibility, adaptability and special skills. The long-accepted ways of acquiring new content are hard to shake, as is the dated perception of librarians as “curators.” With the inner priority of the ”role” vs., “task” lis professionals have to see themselves not just service-oriented, but mostly value-oriented.
For the proper understanding of the explosive development in the information landscape and its effects on the roles and functions of the modern information professionals, the model developed by Iraset Páez- Urdaneta at the Universidad Simón Bolivar, Caracas, Venezuela in 1990s is used.
The progressive lis professionals - eager to learn and adopt the available new technologies and mentally abandoning the library ́s hierarchy, structure and tradition – are challenged in occupying the attractive jobs in today ́s information market.
The paper is exposing some of those professional niches where librarians can enter into the arena of advanced information services, such as, content management, packaging, analyzing and filtering information.
It is emphasized that technology and the management of information and knowledge are not mutually exclusive notions, they are intervowen in modern information services and considered as key professional assets within today ́s professional life. it is only an enabler of these processes.