[Web4lib] Skillset for new librarians

[Thomas Krichel]

  Roy Tennant writes

> What they _would_ need, in my opinion, is a firm grounding in some of the
> other technologies mentioned. Things like XML and XSLT, HTML5 and CSS3,
> basic programming (NOT programming in BASIC!), etc.

  I fully agree.
 
> As for teaching "OPACs" and "databases," that sounds as almost as
> anachronistic as teaching MS Office.

  It really depends on the level. Installing an OPAC can be an ideal
  training ground for basic technologies. You can have students
  install an open source ILS on a old machine their neighbour threw
  out or an a server they rent in the cloud for the duration of the
  course. I ran such a course last year

http://openlib.org/home/krichel/courses/lis508p10w/

  actully to great student acclaim. I am trying to run it 
  again this year, 

http://openlib.org/home/krichel/courses/lis9012p11s/

  but I may not get enough takers for it. I welcome comments on 
  the latter page. 

  Brian Gray writes

> It covers Blackboard, basic computer terminology, file management,
> networking issues, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, basic html, OPACs, databases,
> searching skills, web 2.0 tools, etc.

  I don't think that a Master's level course should cover the introduction
  to basic consumer-level software tools. I think of it like going
  to culenary school to be taught how to eat. 

  Cheers,

  Thomas Krichel                    http://openlib.org/home/krichel
                                http://authorclaim.org/profile/pkr1
                                               skype: thomaskrichel