Overview

As librarianship expands, the basic questions of librarianship as a profession benefit from more sophisticated discussions found in such works as Michael Winter's The Culture and Control of Expertise. He begins with an excellent analysis of the rise of modern professions and the extended historical debate over librarianship as a profession. . . . Winter's intriguing, if sometimes too complex, discussion of these theories [of the sociology of professionalism] and their application to librarianship ultimately leads him to suggest a composite model that does help establish a general framework for intelligent thinking about who we are and what we do. In a thoughtful concluding chapter Winter suggests further areas of possible research into librarianship as an occupation that deserve our careful attention. Above all Winter is to be congratulated for having breathed new life into what was a tired old topic. Wilson Library Bulletin This volume is intended to change the way librarians think about their work, and indirectly, the way they work. Challenging some dominant modes of thinking, it offers an in-depth examination of the social theory of industrial society, the nature and development of librarianship, and how the sociological study of professions and occupations can be used to understand librarianship. Winter provides schematic models to help in understanding the relevance of different approaches to the professionalization process. He uses a composite model to illustrate an appropriate strategy for understanding how the professionalization process applies to librarianship.

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9780313255373

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"?. . . A reading of this book may lead us, individually and collectively, to heed the classic philosophic imperative know thyself' and thus to make a distinctive contribution to a wider professional community.?-Journal of Documentation ?As librarianship expands the basic questions of librarianship as a profession benefit from more sophisticated discussions found in such works as Michael Winter's The Culture and Control of Expertise. He begins with an excellent analysis of the rise of modern professions and the extended historical debate over librarianship as a profession. Most of his study is then placed in the context of the three major theories of the sociology of professionalism: the trait theory, which holds that certain characteristics distinguish a profession, and which has dominated previous discussions of librarianship as a profession; the functionalist theory, which holds that professionalism is a process whereby occupations come to play particular social roles with the professional-client relationship as a central consideration; and the occupational control theory, which holds that professionalism involves the development of a complex set of procedures for controlling an occupation. Winter's intriguing, if sometimes too complex, discussion of these theories and their application to librarianship ultimately leads him to suggest a composite model that does help establish a general framework for intelligent thinking about who we are and what we do. In a thoughtful concluding chapter Winter suggests further areas of possible research into librarianship as an occupation that deserves our careful attention. Above all Winter is to be congratulated for having breathed new life into what was a tired old topic.?-Wilson Library Bulletin ."" . . A reading of this book may lead us, individually and collectively, to heed the classic philosophic imperative know thyself' and thus to make a distinctive contribution to a wider professional community.""-Journal of Documentation ""As librarianship expands the basic questions of librarianship as a profession benefit from more sophisticated discussions found in such works as Michael Winter's The Culture and Control of Expertise. He begins with an excellent analysis of the rise of modern professions and the extended historical debate over librarianship as a profession. Most of his study is then placed in the context of the three major theories of the sociology of professionalism: the trait theory, which holds that certain characteristics distinguish a profession, and which has dominated previous discussions of librarianship as a profession; the functionalist theory, which holds that professionalism is a process whereby occupations come to play particular social roles with the professional-client relationship as a central consideration; and the occupational control theory, which holds that professionalism involves the development of a complex set of procedures for controlling an occupation. Winter's intriguing, if sometimes too complex, discussion of these theories and their application to librarianship ultimately leads him to suggest a composite model that does help establish a general framework for intelligent thinking about who we are and what we do. In a thoughtful concluding chapter Winter suggests further areas of possible research into librarianship as an occupation that deserves our careful attention. Above all Winter is to be congratulated for having breathed new life into what was a tired old topic.""-Wilson Library Bulletin"

?As librarianship expands the basic questions of librarianship as a profession benefit from more sophisticated discussions found in such works as Michael Winter's The Culture and Control of Expertise. He begins with an excellent analysis of the rise of modern professions and the extended historical debate over librarianship as a profession. Most of his study is then placed in the context of the three major theories of the sociology of professionalism: the trait theory, which holds that certain characteristics distinguish a profession, and which has dominated previous discussions of librarianship as a profession; the functionalist theory, which holds that professionalism is a process whereby occupations come to play particular social roles with the professional-client relationship as a central consideration; and the occupational control theory, which holds that professionalism involves the development of a complex set of procedures for controlling an occupation. Winter's intriguing, if sometimes too complex, discussion of these theories and their application to librarianship ultimately leads him to suggest a composite model that does help establish a general framework for intelligent thinking about who we are and what we do. In a thoughtful concluding chapter Winter suggests further areas of possible research into librarianship as an occupation that deserves our careful attention. Above all Winter is to be congratulated for having breathed new life into what was a tired old topic.?-Wilson Library Bulletin

Author Information

MICHAEL F. WINTER is Behavioral Sciences Librarian at the University of California, Davis.

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