Toward a New Model of the Information Professions: Embracing Empowerment

• Published in: Journal of education for library and information science Vol. 38; no. 4; pp. 283 - 302
• Main Author: Maack, Mary Niles
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Arlington, VA Association for Library and Information Science Education 01-10-1997
• Subjects: Access to Information; Change Perspectives; Client centred models; Empowerment; Environmental engineering; Exact sciences and technology; Feminism; Information and communication sciences; Information professionals; Information science; Information science. Documentation; Information Scientists; Knowledge Utilization; Librarians; Librarianship; Libraries; Library and information science. General aspects; Library operations; Library Science; Personal empowerment; Profession; Professional aspects; Sciences and techniques of general use; Self Blame; Self Efficacy; Social work; Teacher empowerment; Users (Information); Information scientist; Profession; Typology; Professional activity; User centered; Modeling
• ISSN: 0748-5786; 2328-2967
• DOI: 10.2307/40324190

In redefining the information professions for the twenty-first century, it is important to consider the core values embraced by these fields and to examine the relationship of professionals to their clients and to other professions. Because other models have failed to take account of professional-client interaction, this paper presents a new client-centered typology of the professions. Special emphasis is given to the empowering professions (such as psychology, social work, education, and librarianship), which all share the goal of enabling their clients to use knowledge for the purpose of taking control of their own lives. After offering a critique of the unquestioned assumptions and androcentric biases underlying modern theories of professionalization, this article presents a feminist perspective that validates the ethic of care in professional practice and acknowledges the importance of those professional activities whose goal is to diffuse knowledge, not to guard or control it.