Librarian, Documentalist: the Same Profession?

Professions in information and documentation have a long history which is confounded with the development of printing and now with that of information networks. Their contribution to the circulation and to the diffusion of knowledge is considerable. Numerous works, encyclopædias or articles relate their transformation over time. This article does not retrace all these developments, but situates these professions with reference to some historic landmarks which are essential in order better to understand how the image of the profession is constructed. The comprehension of the current situation is thus facilitated and allows the points of convergence to be singled out.
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