This paper outlines a brief history of the academic teaching library and, in consequence, it examines the changing role of librarians. As part of that history, the paper also discusses distinctions among various terms used to describe instructional activities in teaching libraries, such as "bibliographic instruction" and "information literacy." Finally, amidst the renewed debates about the changing definition of information literacy and the proposed "Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education," it attempts to answer the question, "What is a teaching library?"