outsourcing/consultants for library computer programming

[Caleb C Tucker-Raymond]

Hi folks,

The recent discussion about RFPs for websites got me thinking. Do any
libraries outsource or hire consultants for computer programming?

I don't know how much this topic has been covered around here or anywhere.
I did some quick searches on the archives, but didn't see much.

My sense is that:

	Most library organizations have someone on staff with a good
	handle on HTML.

	Some even have a handle people or departments dedicated to website
	hosting, design, architecture, usability, and resource delivery.

	Few have the resources hire and retain programmers, or have
	someone on staff who knows enough about it to build a system that
	won't crash the minute they leave the organization.

I feel like the next steps in delivering libraries thorugh the web have to
do with integrating and customizing systems. To accomplish these steps, we
need programmers.

Right now, we're pretty much at the whim of software vendors who can offer
sub-par (double bogey even) products because no one else is offering a
product at all.

I've been reading a lot of things akin to 'I know a little perl, but not
enough to do a really good job', or 'you could learn PHP and do that
yourself'.

Are there any libraries who maintain their own sites but outsource their
computer programming or hire consultants to handle big programming jobs?

We are a small library, and we currently have a job opening for a Unix
systems administrator that includes a little programming. It's been open
for about a year, and I'm pretty skeptical that we'll be able to fill it.

However, we were lucky enough to hire someone on a temporary basis. In the
few months that he has been here, he's been able to begin to revamp our
web forms structure (which was before based on loose cgi scripts) by
giving us tools and building blocks to work with - subroutines, modules,
examples of how we might begin to integrate things, documentation (which
I have to say is absolutely necessary), and most importantly, knowledge of
how do build new tools for our system.

We still don't have a full-time programmer, but systems staff can handle
filling in the blanks and putting together existing subroutines. Overall,
I feel we are much improved.

Instead of posting a $40,000 per annum programming job because that's all
the funds we have, what if we spend $40,000 on consultants who work 3-4
months?

Does this sound good to anyone else?


          Caleb Tucker-Raymond
 
      Electronic Systems Librarian
   Saint Mary's College of California