Room for Debate questions whether librarians are necessary. Jessamyn West, a librarian and technology instructor, says the job is changing but still vital:
In older models, the librarian was more of a selector, protector and a preserver of resources. Now a librarian, or school media specialist, is more of a discerning cultivator and a matchmaker between people and the widely varied resources that meet their information needs. Media and technology literacy is more important than ever, but the integral role of librarians isn't always obvious from the outside; as a result their contributions can be undervalued.
Ze’ev Wurman, on the other hand, privileges teachers over librarians:
If we are to have any hope of meaningfully increasing the literacy of our students, the solution must lie with classroom teachers and not with libraries and librarians. With the pervasive presence of technology in the classroom and at home there is less need for librarians to teach students how to search the Internet. It is our teachers, not our librarians, who must learn how to instill the love of reading in their pupils.
The Dish 