Hi Sarah,
Sorry to add to this thread so late in the game (I've been really sick
lately).
I agree with MJ that studying XML is a good place to start. Practically all
the library metadata schemes use XML, so if you're going to transition into
a cataloger/metadata librarian you need to know XML.
Over the last 2 1/2 years I have learned the XQuery programming language,
not for fun, but because it's part of my job. I've used XQuery to search and
manipulate metadata, to build crosswalks, to re-build METS documents, etc. I
do think it is helpful to understand programming, but I know enough now to
know that I'm nowhere near the level I would need to be to leave the library
world and get a programming job (not that I want to). I do want to add,
though, that while I enjoy XQuery very much, I did not find it easy to
learn, but rather one of the most challenging things I have ever learned.
Right now, I want to be a really good metadata librarian, and I'm going to
let that goal dictate how much time I spend studying programming or any
other new technology.
Chris
Christine Schwartz
Metadata Librarian
Princeton Theological Seminary Library
On Fri, Apr 16, 2010 at 11:02 AM, Simpson, Sarah
<ssimpso_at_tulsalibrary.org>wrote:
> I have to admit, I always hesitate to post a question of this sort to a
> list, for a variety of reasons. However, as I try to figure out how I'm
> going to contribute to the cataloging world, honestly, you just seem like
> the best people to ask.
>
> I'm a very good cataloger (and modest, too, as you can tell). However, I
> am becoming very aware that in order to remain a good cataloger and make any
> forward progress, I am going to need to know other things than cataloging.
> Specifically, technology. I will need to learn more about the workings of
> our catalogs, what we know and need to tell our customers about the digital
> resources we have, what is necessary to share our data with the Web, and so
> on.
>
> So, where do I start? Are there particular things to learn about
> technology that would be the most useful, particular classes, particular
> topics? What software do I need to know? I want to learn what I need to
> know, but just have no idea where to start! I have 3 universities and a
> community college in my immediate area, but do I need a computer science
> degree, or can I be more targeted than that?
>
> I want to know why RDA is a good or bad idea, I want to be able to tell my
> library how big of a project it will be to implement, and to tell the truth,
> I want the background to be part of the discussion as RDA continues to be
> modified and improved. ANYTHING you can tell me about how to learn what I
> need to know and what it is I need to know will be very, very much
> appreciated.
>
> Sarah Simpson
> Tulsa City-County Library
>
Received on Mon Apr 19 2010 - 13:21:42 EDT