The present status is that libraries organize and reorganize for many reasons in order to give better service to the users - but not necessarily to make the information service more efficient. In several places traditional reference service has been integrated with other services. Reference work has become a generalist job, and it is seen that also non-librarians are occupied with what you could call specialized library services. Some employees do get proper education but most common is learning by doing or learning from your colleagues. All libraries have home pages.
All libraries use e-mail as a communication tool to their users.
One small library has chosen to start up at new reference department. The library offers courses to their users and special services to immigrants, blind, dyslectic persons etc. Asked about the positive aspects all reference librarians find, that the library as a whole has been more qualified in the sense that users get information faster. Asked about the future plans the tendency is integration of reference work in the lending departments. The question is whether the service will be able to keep up the standard.