Hiring Librarians

[Rebecca Rector]

I have to agree with Linda - most of the librarians I know are working on
web pages for their corporate or academic institutions or personl use. They
embrace new technology and are not afraid to try new things. We all have to
use a combination of technologies and media to find information for our
customers or patrons. That is today's challenge!

I am also curious as to where Scott has been trying to recruit librarians
and finding such a cold response to "new technology".> Most library schools
are very involved with teaching new technology; and many of the job ads I
see (I edit a special libraries job newsletter that has just gone
electronic) are very electronic oriented, with internet, web and html skills
wanted along with networking computers and all sorts of different media.


Rebecca Rector
Librarian,
CT Male Associates, Engineers
Latham, NY

     Not all librarians are tied to books and shelves, but these still have 
>     a very essential and vital place in making information available to 
>     people.  I'm a corporate librarian who also runs my small company's 
>     intranet.  Others on my staff handle the collection and maintenance of 
>     books and journals, but I use these resources the same as I use 
>     databases and web resources -- to meet the needs of my users.  I'd 
>     like to think I'm not "tied" to any media, print or Web based.  
>     
>     The *first* person I'd like to see organizing content on the Web is
someone 
>     who can listen to and identify user needs, learn from and build on
existing 
>     frameworks for organizing information,  not be afraid to try innovative 
>     approaches, and ultimately measure their success by how they improve the 
>     ability of users to get the information they need.  Pretty much the same 
>     person I'd like to see running a library.  I think there are a lot of 
>     librarians and information specialists out there who are doing all of
this 
>     in their organizations now.   
>     
>     Scott:  I don't know where you've been looking for librarians, or why you 
>     are getting the response you detailed in your message.  I hope you'll
learn 
>     from the replies you get that my profession is not turning a cold
shoulder 
>     to what many of us see as a tremendous opportunity to use our skills in a 
>     new setting with the potential to vastly improve people's access to 
>     information.
>     
>     Linda Bickham
>     Manager, Library Services
>     SyStemix
>     lbickham at stem.com
>     
>     ______________________________ Reply Separator 
>     _________________________________
>     Subject: Hiring Librarians
>     Author:  guthery at austin.sar.slb.com at INTERNET
>     Date:    8/24/96 3:22 PM
>     
>     
>     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
>
>