Webby Public Librarians & ALA query

[Elizabeth J. McKenty a.k.a. Lisle]

1) I wanted to respond last week to the posting about webrarians, or whatever term you prefer, in public libraries. I don't think I saw any responses, but I am just a wee bit behind in my list reading...if it's been covered, skip to 2) and forgive...

Yes Virginia, there are good opportunities for librarians in public libraries to be webby in their work ;). It may be we don't have the same level of resources/support that our academic brethen enjoy. But we're very happy to have new employees come in and parlay whatever skills you possess to our advantage! And the possibilities are pretty immense, for large and small systems. Here we have an Internet office with 3 librarians and several committees, cataloguers working on CORC, our public access catalog is DRAWeb, we have special collections librarians working on digitization projects with our scanning lab, collection development selecting online resources, public services librarians developing content, committees on virtual services, me doing whatever I'm told, you name it. We are a large and complex urban system with large and complex urban needs. We also work with other agencies and consortia on web projects. I know that suburban and rural systems are just as happy to get l!
ibrarians with web skills as we are...let me mention that our pay is not bad and the benefits are good. And there is the philosophical greater good stuff--the public's university and an educated citizenry and all, which I do believe in. I'm done recruiting, for now. Anyone who wants to talk more about public libraries and web work, please contact me.

2) Are there any ALA program presenters on web4lib (or otherwise) that I shouldn't miss? I'll probably/maybe get around to reading the program on the plane, so a head's up would great. 

3)Are any "informal networking opportunities" being planned for web4libers (and/or others) during ALA? If not, I'm willing to coordinate, if someone can tell me the name of a good, cheap (but not fast, Dan) restaurant/bar in easy walking distance, etc.

Thanks for reading, E

--
Elizabeth J. McKenty
Library Coordinator
The Office of Public Service Support
Free Library of Philadelphia
215.686.5372
mckentye at library.phila.gov
lislemck at netscape.net

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