As a person who does not have an MLS but would like to get one, I'm glad
you bring this up. I'm becoming more and more interested in the
technologies that *could* be applied to libraries, and this is what I
would like to study in a Master's program. I would also like to continue a
career in academic libraries, so an actual MLS is necessary. But as I go
shopping around for MLS programs, it is hard to find any that have a
decent technology component. So what do I have to do, some kind of dual
Master's program? Seems like that shouldn't be necessary, but most places,
if I want to do the kinds of things I want to do, it would be.
Glad you mentioned Syracuse, but that's one of the few places I've already
heard that does this well. (Actually, it's the only one that comes to
mind.) Any other nominations out there?
Brian Stamper
The Ohio State University
On Thu, 11 Sep 2008 12:14:40 -0400, Kevin M Kidd <kiddk_at_bc.edu> wrote:
> 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/
Received on Thu Sep 11 2008 - 11:54:50 EDT