Library Portals and Information Architecture: Librarians emerging Info-architects

The paper highlights the concept of library portals and information architecture and the relationship that exists between the two concepts. Further, it imports the functions of librarians in the traditional setting into the webometric setting, elucidating the roles librarians can play as Information Architects whereby they are seen as content creators, copyright experts, digital reference service personnel, metadata creators, portal specifiers and creators. Questions regarding the imported concepts of Information Architects and librarians' roles are raised. Problems facing librarians as Information Architects are raised and solutions proffered. The paper concludes by making a submission that librarians become Info-architects in the present digital information environment. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]