Hiring Librarians

[Martin Cohen]

I agree. I think what you're suggesting (and why this thread belongs on 
this list) is that there is an open question about what responsibilities 
(and consequently what skills) are involved in running a library-based 
Web site. 

Should Webmasters know about system security? (and does that not require 
some understanding of system administration?)

Should Webmasters have the ability to bring people together in common 
enterprise (management, public relations)?

Should Webmasters have good eyes for design and graphics (even if they 
are not themselves artists)?

Should Webmasters be knowledgeable about user interface design? 

Should Webmasters be able to organize information and create effective 
new patterns of organization (not just following established rules)?

These _might_ be part of the skills one could hope for in a librarian. But 
at present are certainly anything one can expect. Yet I believe that 
"library science" is possibly the discipline closest to bringing these 
together. It certainly has not yet. 

On Sat, 24 Aug 1996 guthery at austin.sar.slb.com wrote:

> I've been on the otherside of trying to hire librarians.  We've realized that
> we need library science people to do technology watch and to organize our
> Intranet.
> 
> 1) I've been greeted with a very, very cold shoulder by many library
>    science departments when I've come calling 
> 
> 2) many library science people don't see that "net books" are just
>    like real books and need the same care and attention ... even more so
>    and maybe with fresh approaches
> 
> 3) many library science people want to "bunkerize" classical libraries
>    rather than mix them in with the web
> 
> 4) many library science people shy away from jobs with a high
>    communication component
> 
> 5) there are few courses in "off the shelf" library science curriculums
>    which deal with serving from and organizing web-based information
> 
> It shouldn't surprise people that the going rate for even the best buggy whip
> maker isn't what it used to be.
> 
> Cheers, Scott
>