We still _need_ each other... (Was Oregon again...)

[SCHUGD at cna.org]

On Friday, December 01, 1995 at 3:17 p.m., User WEB4LIB wrote:

> Sorry, I've lost who said this:
> >The truth of the matter is that we need each other.  Computer scientists,
> >such as myself, need to be involved in making sure that the systems that are
> >designed are easy to use, robust, and meet the needs of patrons and
> >librarians.  Librarians need to be open to the notion that other disciplines
> 
> Am I the only librarian on this list that shudders (or laughs)
> at the idea of computer programmers making sure they design
> "easy to use" systems?
> 
> Just as librarians have to be more aware of their own need to work
> with computer folk, the computer folk have to face that they need
> input on interface design from the people who use the stuff -
> programmers are known for thinking that the programmer in the next
> cubicle is a good person to ask whether a new whatever they're writing
> is easy to use. In my work with our computer center on our campus
> web, I see this "I the programmer think it's easy to use, so it must
> be" all too often.
[snip]
> -----------
> Melissa Silvestre  silvest at umslvma.umsl.edu  http://www.umsl.edu/~silvest/index.html (314) 516-5059  
> Univ of Missouri-St. Louis, Thomas Jefferson Library - Reference 
> My writings do not reflect the official position of UMSL.
> Commercial use of this electronic message is prohibited without specific consent. Permission for unlimited non-commercial use is hereby given.

I think this goes a bit too far. 

I'm not a computer scientist nor a programmer. But I think the computer 
scientist that wrote the earlier comment is giving credit to librarians that 
cooperate (if you read his other note on this thread); maybe librarians should 
learn to give credit to the computer folks, once in a while. 

If you laugh at and criticise these folks all the time, how can you expect
them to treat librarians with any respect? How can you expect them to
seek assistance from the library in organizational/programming matters?

If the library and computer center doesn't work together, both will suffer.
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Diane T. Schug                             | Sensa sole
(SchugD at CNA.org)                           | La luna non resplende,
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