Position postings

[Bill Crosbie]

Hello web4libbers,

As you probably all know from my previous posts, I can't resist this topic.
I tired, but I couldn't let it slide by.  

So liet me begin with a quote from Darryl West:

>Lets face it. There are mindsets and approaches gained during the
>attainment of a degree and in a field that give a person an edge in that
>field. For me I have a good feel for computers because of my training
>and exposure, This means I am a good computer person to have round. (
>though my librarian peers may disagree ) but I would be a useless
>librarian. If I have a library problem I go ask a librarian.  While I
>advocate empowering users of a system I firmly believe they can be best
>developed by the people who understand computers not by people who
>understand libraries. 

I agree with this totally.  Now let me also point out a subtle distinction
in this post.

"While I advocate empowering users of a system "

That is to say that librarians must have the skills to use and understand
the tools that are developed.  In fact it is a requirement that they are
continually consulted during the development process.   They are the
ultimate users of the system, they must have a vested interest in the
production of the system.

"best developed by the people who understand computers not by people who
understand libraries."

This is true _once_there_has_been_a_meeting_of_the_minds_.  That is to say,
a computer person will not design a system adequate for use in a library
with out the skills and insights of librarians.  Similarly, a systems
analyst will not produce a usable system for industrial processes without an
understanding of that process either.  Any computer system MUST be a
collaboration between end users and designers/implementors.

>
>I have seen to many wanna be techo's who 'have the experience' but who
>in fact end up at a result by sheer brute force and ignorance rather
>than any understanding 

Before anyone steps in to flame Darryl on this point, if anyone is planning
to, I want to say that it is valid.  Computer scientists are trained to
consider efficiecy of algorithms to store and access data on computer
systems.  This is a complex process that involves a high degree of skill.
This is true whether one is writing a program from the ground up, or is
using purchased components (programming libraries).  

Perhaps an analogy can best help me make my point.  There are some jobs in
the techno field that are 'plumbing' related.  Making sure that the conduits
are there for data to flow.  This is a necessary skillset.  Our libraries
are hampered without them.  There are other jobs that are analogous to an
'architect'.  These jobs involve actually designing the whole system.  As
there is more to a building than its plumbing, there is more to designing a
effective computer system than making creating a physical network.  What a
'techno' brings to the table is that same level of concern for
inter-relatedness that you would expect from an architect.  And like an
architect, you hope that there would be a great deal of discussion between
those that draw the plans and those that have to ultimately live with the
design.

My turn to get down off the soap-box now.

Bill 
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
 Always dream and shoot higher         |      Bill Crosbie
 than you know you can do.             |      Microcomputer Analyst
 Don't bother just to be better than   |      Chang Science Library
 your contemporaries or predecessors.  |      Rutgers University
 Try to be better than yourself.       |      New Brunswick, NJ USA
                                       |      crosbie at aesop.rutgers.edu
      ~~William Faulkner~~             |      908-932-0305 x114