[WEB4LIB] "systems librarians"

[Dan Lester]

At 06:44 PM 5/4/99 -0700, Alice McNeil wrote:
>Wilson emphasizes hands on
>experience as a significant source of "systems" knowledge, but doesn't
>go into any detail as far as educational requirements.

There aren't any.  The question is whether you can do the job.  Formal 
courses and degrees can help, but sure aren't necessary.  Those who get a 
degree in computer science or in computer information systems, etc, can 
earn a lot more than most libraries can ever afford.  You'd have to be 
REALLY committed to the profession to stay in libraries after getting those 
degrees.

To put it in perspective, I have a BA in English, though had a minor in 
"Business Computer Systems" (this was in 1966).  Took some more business 
computer courses in grad school as part of my MLS (1968).  I've never quit 
learning about computers, though I'll always consider myself a 
generalist.  I'm not a programmer.  I teach and train, I do a lot of 
translating between pure techies and pure librarians (though both sides 
becoming more literate in the other's field), I develop new systems and 
services.

As part of that perspective, my son has programmed professionally since he 
was 17.  He's now 31.  He has one year of college.  He makes more money 
than I do, working for a library software firm.  He doesn't want to be a 
librarian, though knows MARC format better than 90 percent of the folks on 
this list (he wrote code that produced catalog cards at one time, later 
CDROM catalogs, etc.)  He'd lose a lot of money to "become a librarian", 
and certainly never will, since he can do a certain type of library work 
without the MLS.

>Microsoft certification in Novell and NT?  Is there a mentoring
>arrangement where one systems person learns from another more
>experienced technician?

I'd not bother with certification as a librarian.  I've taken some courses 
that lead to that, but at my age there is no point in investing in all of 
that.  Besides, there are guys who work for me who do that detailed work 
while I deal with the bigger picture.  However, for some folks any or all 
of the above may be useful.

>I'd also be curious to know how many women work as systems librarians.
>"Systems", appears to be a male dominated area of librarianship.

True.  But there are many top women in the field.  Like most "techie" or 
"science" fields, it has been traditionally male, but that is changing 
rapidly.  The prejudice is generally changing from being against women in 
such fields to being for women.  Don't let any of that put you off.

Remember, "Systems" can vary a great deal.  It can be part of one person's 
other duties in a small library.  It can be as one of a dozen or more in a 
large library.  To some extent your career path will depend on whether you 
want to specialize or be more of a generalist.  Of course the same thing is 
true in other areas of librarianship as well.

cheers

dan

--
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Dan Lester, 3577 East Pecan, Boise, ID 83716 USA 208-383-0165
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