The Ryerson Review of Journalism has an article about the changing role of news librarians in Canada.

Google hasn’t made newspapers research librarians redundant. In fact, they’re as busy as ever, even if they rarely receive the recognition they deserve.

Some quotes:

News librarians provide the information that journalists sometimes can’t get due to tight schedules and less proficient research skills. Hammer says librarians can do research in half the time it takes her to do it. "They tend to know a few more tricks." With the advent of online content, librarians have had to become "Jacks-of-all-trades," taking on new jobs they never did years ago. With so much information now available to reporters, it’s up to researchers to train them to be more self-sufficient.

If used correctly, though, librarians can be more cost-effective, says Michael McCaffrey, a reference professor at the University of Toronto. More often than not, a highly trained and skilled researcher will find information more efficiently than a less research-savvy journalist, without racking up big bucks for unnecessary searches. Plus, it frees up more time for journalists to do what they do best.