Position postings

[Darryl West]

Hi all

> There was recently posted an announcement for a Library Systems
> Administrator position.  Am I the only one distressed by the fact
> it, and others I have seen in recent months, did not ask for any
> library experience.  None, not even having set foot in a library. 
> And this is for a LIBRARY systems position. 
> 
> One other point also bothers me.  I know of several people, myself
> included, that have experience in most if not all the duties
> mentioned, all armed with only a degree in Library Science.  Isn't
> it time we librarians are acknowledged as being capable of applying
> for systems positions?
> 
> I'll get off the soapbox now.
> 

And I'll hop right up on mine.  I work in a library in a IT position
and consistently am confronted with the attitude "if it happens in
the library then a librarian should do it". This does not matter if
it is management, admin, training, IT whatever. Though funnily
enough this attitude seems to fail when it comes to shelving, moving
furniture, filing, typing  and all those less desirable
'non-professional' jobs that need doing round the place. 

Now I am of the firm opinion that people should be employed in 
positions they are skilled in. As an IT person with IT training it 
means I am good at doing 'techo stuff' as it is called here. Now I do 
not presume to have intimate knowledge of library structures and 
needs but it is part of my training to design given the needs that 
are communicated to me.

A strategy here has been to asssociate a librarian to every major 
network here to act as an intermediate between IT staff and 
librarians. So I work as a team with my librarian and they work as a 
team with there techo to produce what I think are good systems.

So maybe it is time librarians bite the bullet and acknowledge that
other people have skills they need and make the effort to
communicate outside the library sphere. If you let managers manage, 
graphic artists design, teachers train and accountants keep the books 
then we would all be better off. It seems to work for the rest of 
industry.

Steps down from the box.



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Darryl West
Unix/Internet Systems Administrator
State Library of Queensland
P.O. Box 3488
South Brisbane 4101
Australia

Ph:   61-7-38407856
Fax:  61-7-38462421

E-mail: d.west at slq.qld.gov.au

State Library HomePage    http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/

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