[WEB4LIB] Library needs assistance justifying on-site support

[Andrew I. Mutch]

Karen,

I'm one of those technical support staff who wears 2 hats.  I "work" for
the library but I'm technically a member of the Township's IS department.
Before I was hired, the library relied on the IS department to provide
support.  The result was the creation of my position because the library's
needs far exceeded the ability of the staff to provide support.  Some of
the problems may have been staffing-related -- the IS needs Township-wide
may have been greater than the exisiting staff could support.  

However, even with adequate staff, I think an argument can be made for a
library-specific staff person.  The library's needs can be complex and
because much of the support is with software and hardware used by the
public, they tend to be different from most governmental departments where
the computer uses are internal to the department.  If the library is
supporting a circulation/catalog system in-house, having staff on-site is
critical - those systems can't "wait" for staff to be available.  Also,
having a tech staff dedicated to the library allows that person to become
familiar with the "unique" needs of library technology. 

Having said that, I do find my "mixed" role [I also "coordinate" the
Township's web site] to be a benefit.  My ability to interact daily with
other Township IS staff means that I am exposed to a wider range of
problems and solutions than if I worked exclusively at the library.

The reason the library was able to create my position was because they
were willing to pay for it.  Because the library pays for my position, the
Director makes sure that I spend the majority of my time on library
support.  The IS director is very good about not making claims on my time
because of this relationship.  

Andrew Mutch
Library Systems Technician
Waterford Township Public Library
Waterford, MI


On Sat, 26 Feb 2000, Karen G. Schneider wrote:

> A colleague in a large city somewhere in the free world emailed the
> following request this Friday.  Note the very short deadline.  Locked in
> hand-to-hand combat with proxy servers and databases (and a dumb terminal
> hub that started to gasp and wheeze) I really couldn't do any research or
> provide more than personal anecdotal info.  But I did promise to pass along
> the question.  If you have anything to offer, email me before noon Monday
> 2-28 EST at kgs at bluehighways.com and I'll a) pass the info back and b) let
> you know who it is.  (This is not to dissuade you from list discussion, of
> course!)
> 
> It makes you wonder if they think all library staff could be located
> somewhere other than the library... the librarian is a crucial component to
> service, but without real-time working equipment, what's the point?
> 
> -------Request---------------
> 
> We just learned that our mayor is planning to remove our automation staff
> and put them in the general government offices unless we can persuade him
> that our systems are more complex and varied than those in, say, assessing
> and that moving that function outside the building would present a
> management and public services nightmare.
> 
> Do you know of any articles or information someplace that might address this
> merits of libraries having their own on-site automation folks, rather than
> having to rely on general staff?
> 
> We have until next Monday at 3 to put something together, and I would be
> pathetically grateful if you have any ideas.
> ------------------------------
> 
> Karen G. Schneider kgs at bluehighways.com
> Assistant Director of Technology
> Shenendehowa Public Library, Clifton Park, NY
> http://www.shenpublib.org
>