A false dichotomy has been created in the minds of many librarians. It is almost as though one has to pick between two sides, each of which is violently opposed to the other. In reality, one does not have to choose between being a Luddite and a soulless technocrat. The history of progress in librarianship has been a story of the successful integration of new technologies and new means of communication into existing programs and services. Librarians have welcomed innovation and have, if anything, been sometimes overeager in the embrace of the new.
Online catalogues are demonstrably superior to card and microform catalogues.
Networked indexing and abstracting services are demonstrably superior to their print forerunners. Each of the other media has areas in which it is the best. Protect Free Access to Knowledge Two of the professional values advanced by Lee Finks are stewardship and democratic values . If we don't do this, the culture of the present and past will be lost, which is a prospect that we cannot accept. This is a weighty responsibility and one that should be in the minds of all librarians.