Do librarians need basic HTML capabilities? -Reply

[Tom Tipsword]

Haven't we about beaten this thread to death?     I fear that web4lib 
may be undergoing a transition which I have seen all too often on 
other library related lists.    The list starts with a relatively small number of 
posts exchanging useful information among practitioners and then is 
overwhelmed by lengthy discussions of what librarians should or 
shouldn't be doing in the "Information Age". 

I agree with Karen Schneider.  Some librarians need to know HTML, or 
MARC, or whatever in varying degrees of detail, depending on their 
actual work environment and/or interests.    I also suspect that most 
of us could tell which group we fall into without thinking too hard.  
One thing's certain, though -- if you aren't willing to learn and 
adapt they're going to find your bleached bones along the trail.

For the record -- HTML isn't hard.  I teach the basics plus a few 
tricks in about 90 minutes (See the following URL: 
http://amelia.db.erau.edu/erug/tutorial/workshop.html   for an online 
tutorial to HTML created in my shop.  You are free to use it or or 
link to it, but please do not distribute it further without the 
consent of the authors).   Creating HTML documents isn't hard 
either.    You can do it by hand or use one of a multitude of 
editors, converters, or publishers (I've tried a lot of them.  Mostly 
they work ok.  They all seem to require at least a little human 
intervention to get a really nice document.  Personally, I use vi on 
a UNIX box for most of my HTML work. :> ).   What's hard is to design 
your pages to convey your information effectively.    Despite the 
tools available,  I don't see any way to get really good pages, 
custom designed to fit your institution and your information, without having a 
knowledgeable human around to do the work.

Anybody interested in a moderated list devoted solely to technical and 
design issues involved in creating pages and running web servers in 
libraries?   If so, I'd be willing to host one.

TNT

Tom Tipsword  
Systems Manager, Hunt Memorial Library      vox:  904-226-6601 
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University        fax:  904-226-6368
Daytona Beach, FL 32114

http://amelia.db.erau.edu/~tom/     tom at wilbur.db.erau.edu

"We need more fruitcakes in this world and less bakers." -- Jimmy 
Buffet.