Librarians as University Webmasters

[The Big Glee Bopper]

On Thu, 19 Oct 1995, Wain Dobson wrote:

> > the combination of visual skills and an MLS/MIS with a good 
> > dose of programming thrown in is an incredibly marketable skill.
> 
> Hmmm! From my experience, the world has not quite see things this
> way. While I do work for various NAPs (Network Access Providers)
> and ISPs (Internet Service Providers), the relationship between a
> MLS/MIS background and a very, very strong background in
> unix/network/system/database programming is completely, 
> lost on 99% of the world seeking to bring information up on the
> net. Perhaps, this maybe attributable to the "fit of commercialism"
> ... So, somewhere
> in here, is the problem: how to get the world of private
> enterprise to realize that they are entering a new information
> age that requires the skills of the MLS/MIS in dealing with and
> presenting this information?

You didn't read my entire message. I said the skills were drawing 
,perling, and categorizing.

Maybe the most critical skill is _drawing_ the ability to manipulate
visual information. That is why I go looking for students with art and
music backgrounds. My visualizing Information course is billed as
interface design but we do game design ala Myst, 7th Guest, Blam!, etc. 
The ultimate interface is not boolean logic but game design for both
information retrieval and entertainment. Serious challenge which only
artists can manage. 

The visualizing info class is by portfolio _only_ I have students from
about 5 departments with actually very few slis folks, but the few slis
folks who go thru get interesting work because of their visual design
skills. In a multimedia world this is a core skill for a librarian who
wants to work in this world. Programming can be learned in 6 weeks, unix
in a week. Design takes a life time which means they better have it before
they get here. 

My take on jobs for the future is come to IU SLIS and take

Human Computer Interaction
User Needs and Behaviors
Organization and Representation of Knowledge
Information Networking
2 terms of C++ object-oriented design of information systems
1 Term of System Design in Perl
User-centered Data base design
Visualizing Information

and you work _anywhere_ you want because when you go for the interview 
you don't have to _tell_ anyone what you _will_ do, you can _show_ them what 
you _have_ done.

As the guy in the Men's Warehouse ad says: I guarantee it!!

--Thom

p.s. Have a number of very interested students coming out shortly.