With some trepidation, I'm going to dip a toe into this pool. I have worked as a librarian since 1971. Even though I elected to take some PL/1 programming classes in library school, by and large, libraries were unaffected by computers when I got into the field. This is certainly not the case in 2008, nor has it been the case for a considerable amount of time.
While I can accept the argument that a small library may not have the resources to hire even a fraction of an IT person, I cannot accept that librarians do not have the ability to acquire a modicum of IT skills.
Unfortunately, far too many of the librarians I have worked with over the past 35+ years have an attitude of "I can't do this unless someone teaches me to do it." What a crock. Today's libraries are inseparable from computers and IT. Someone who can't motivate him/herself to keep up with the technology should get out of the field and find some activity that doesn't require knowledge of computers (although that's increasingly difficult in today's world).
Selden Deemer, Library Systems Administrator
Emory University Libraries, Atlanta, Georgia
EMAIL: libssd_at_emory.edu
PHONE: 404-727-0271
FAX: 404-727-0827
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Received on Thu Sep 11 2008 - 09:11:07 EDT