I have run up against the "professional" question many times in my working life; I have worked in libraries for 18 years but am not an official librarian because I do not have a degree in librarianship from an ALA accredited institution. So I am designated "paraprofessional staff" (or "libraroid" in my own terminology). The term "professional librarian" is probably useful as a descriptive word because it really does tell people who know the difference what they can expect from you in the way of expertise, or anyway whether you're on salary or a wage slave like me. To the unwashed public, "librarian" seems to imply the cranky old lady who tells you to be quiet and stamps the due date in the book. Except we don't stamp dates any more, and I work behind the scenes and don't particularly give a rat's ass (a cheap commodity) whether someone's talking in the reading room or not.

I'm a cataloger, and have been doing it long enough that I probably know more about it than a professional who has concentrated on reference work or collection development. So all it indicates in my context is how I get paid. My passport says "librarian" (I think) because it actually means something to most people. My title is "Bibliographic Management Specialist, Senior, Foreign Language Expert."

And then there's the more vague and, to my mind judgmental, connotation, which strongly resembles the "art or craft" dichotomy. I'm also a potter, and many people will tell you instantly that I am not an artist but a craftsman. Apparently I'm putting on airs to suggest I'm an artist?

Neither distinction matters much to me usually, "professional" vs "tradesman", "artist" vs. "craftsman". My father has used "artisan" for "craftsman", but only when speaking of himself in comparison to me, an artist by his reckoning. But he's a retired chemistry professor who builds furniture sometimes. As far as I can see his approach to both roles qualifies him as an artist and a professional, but I'm not sure what I mean by that. Obviously I use those terms as indicative of a certain amount of respect on my part, because I think my father is a renaissance man.

So I'm confused. Call me professional, paraprofessional, artist or artisan. Whatever you like. Just don't call me collect.