Abstract: Novel methods and compositions are provided for preferentially bonding an oligomeric molecule to a macromolecular target where the target is a member of a complex mixture and/or there is preferential bonding at one of a plurality of available bonding sites of the macromolecular target. The methods represent a complete system for both producing and identifying affinity label molecules from a combinatorial library which preferentially bind to a marcomolecular target or target site and preferentially binding those affinity labels to a macromolecule of interest either ex vivo or in vivo. Macromolecular targets include a variety of cellular- and non-cellular-associated proteins.