Serving the research community or making money? Current issues in scholarly research and its communication.

This paper draws attention to the emergence of the World Wide Web as an alternative to library services, the growth in distance learning, and the potential for libraries to provide virtual reference services. It discusses some of the organisational and pedagogical challenges that are likely to follow from these changes, and notes the way in which ‘Schools are Librarianship’ are adapting to a new environment. Finally, it poses a number of questions to the employers of information professionals about their ability and suitability to employ the new information professionals.