Dewey declared that librarians should consider themselves professionals (Swigger 314). Librarians, despite this, suffer from status anxiety regarding the professional status of librarianship. Trait theory, the traditional sociological tool used to evaluate the professional status of occupations, has traditionally held that librarianship lacks the attributes required for professional status, and therefore not a profession, but only a semi-profession (Abbot 431) . Trait theorists have criticized librarianship for lacking theoretical knowledge and authoritative service orientation (Nelson 2030). Librarians of the past have adopted traits of higher professions in the anxious hope of achieving status (Harris 16). Contemporary librarians have rejected this imitation of attributes, as it has not promoted the professional value of librarianship, suggesting that the style of professionalism advanced by trait theory is not one that librarians should emulate. In contrast to the core values ​​of librarianship, this style of professionalism has distracted librarians from meaningful work and is a detriment to library services because its authoritative service orientation conflicts with the orientation of libraries (Page 103) . Contemporary sociologists and librarians have abandoned trait theory because it is obsolete in its assessment of professional status and due to inherent shortcomings of the theory (Birdsall 146). With an anxious focus on status, contemporary librarians argue that librarianship desires public recognition of the value of library work (page 120). Sociological theory does not determine which occupations enjoy professional status, the public does (Nelson 2031). The path to professional status then, as Birdsall asserts, lies in rejecting the... medium of paper...... Scholars argue that in its quest for professionalism, librarianship desires recognition of the value of the profession (Page 120 ). Sociological theory does not determine which occupations enjoy professional status, public perception does (Birdsall 146). Therefore, the path to greater status lies in building relationships with library users and allowing greater user participation in library policy. Contemporary librarians have rejected traditional trait theory approaches to professionalism, eagerly adopted in the past by status-anxious librarians, as contrary to the core values ​​of librarianship and as outmoded; they suggest instead that the path to higher professional status lies in developing stronger relationships with library users and improving services so that librarianship is valued. Works Cited AbbottBirdsallHarrisNelsonPageSwigger