----Original Message-----
From: Next generation catalogs for libraries
[mailto:NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Kevin M Kidd
Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2008 1:49 PM
To: NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU
Subject: Re: [NGC4LIB] Library Technologies and Library School (was
Commercial Vendors and Open Source Software)
"...librarians today need--more than ever--imagination."
I agree 100% with this, but I still believe that we as librarians - *all*
librarians - need some basic understanding of scripting, html, xml,
relational databases, etc. We need a basic understanding of multiple data
formats, how networks work and common network protocols.
Again, we *all* would benefit greatly from this. Without such basic
understanding, how can we begin to imagine the possibilities for using
technology to further our mission?
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I agree, so long as the emphasis is on "understanding" and not doing. Leave
the doing to the experts who can create databases and tweak formats many
times better and far more efficiently than someone who just fools with
something.
But a good understanding, along with hearing ideas from others, helps spur
the imagination.
James Weinheimer j.weinheimer_at_aur.edu
Director of Library and Information Services
The American University of Rome
via Pietro Roselli, 4
00153 Rome, Italy
voice- 011 39 06 58330919 ext. 258
fax-011 39 06 58330992
Received on Tue Sep 30 2008 - 07:19:34 EDT