Library Technologies and Library School (was Commercial Vendors and Open Source Software)

I will re-iterate what several have already said in this forum: the problems we are having with the lack of technical knowledge in the library community is an indictment of library education in general. 

Here at Boston College, we have had several newly-minted librarians come through recently, MLS in hand, who managed to finish library school with a mere smattering of technology competence sprinkled into their degree requirements. In this day and age, such a situation is nothing short of astounding. What technology should MLS students learn?

For starters, I would say they need more than a smattering of the following:
HTML/CSS
JavaScript
Relational Databases/SQL
Some Scripting languages (Perl/PHP, etc)

They should understand client-server architecture. They should know something about how networks function and the difference between internet protocols like HTTP, FTP, SSH and Telnet.

Again, this is just for starters.

I feel fortunate that, when I was at Syracuse Library School in the mid-1990s, my professors were both technologists and librarians. Many of them were working on cutting-edge technology projects, and I was a direct beneficiary of their knowledge and experience.

Unfortunately - 12 years on - this is obviously not the experience of most current students and recent graduates. 

It's a big problem.

--------------------------------------
Kevin M. Kidd, MA, MLIS
Library Applications & Systems Manager
Boston College Libraries
Phone: 617-552-1359
Fax: 617-552-1089
e-Mail: kevin.kidd_at_bc.edu
Blog: http://datadrivenlibrary.blogspot.com/


-----Original Message-----
From: Next generation catalogs for libraries [mailto:NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Deemer, Selden S
Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2008 10:45 AM
To: NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU
Subject: Re: [NGC4LIB] Commercial Vendors and Open Source Software

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



This e-mail message (including any attachments) is for the sole use of
the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged
information.  If the reader of this message is not the intended
recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution
or copying of this message (including any attachments) is strictly
prohibited.

If you have received this message in error, please contact
the sender by reply e-mail message and destroy all copies of the
original message (including attachments).