What is Librarianship?

‘WHAT is librarianship?’ The question was first thrust at me in one of the examinations of the Library Association. What a stupid question to ask a student! Of course, at the time I sallied forth with all the usual hypothetical, theoretical, ‘professional’ clap‐trap one is taught from childhood to put into exam answers. It worked, and I passed the exam, but it was not until several years later and experience (with a capital E) with the public (with a capital P), that I even thought of it again.