[Web4lib] RE: library automation vendors

[David Walker]

>> I am all in favor of APIs (and XML) 
>> as ways to give larger libraries the 
>> freedom to build what they wish

I actually work at a relatively small academic library (5,000 FTE
students), and think that APIs are the only way libraries can address
*fundamental* access issues.

Integration is not a side issue in libraries.  It is *the* fundamental
task all of us should be working on.  And no vendor can do that for my
library.  I have to do it.


>> I think the better answer is to 
>> demand that the vendors provide good 
>> out-of-the-box usability for end users

I'm all for that.  And I wish you luck in that endeavor.

But, frankly, people have been saying this for *years*.  What has it
produced?

If I thought vendors could design good, usable interfaces and good APIs,
I would lobby for both.  But vendors simply don't have the design
expertise, end-user knowledge, or the economic wherewithal to design
usable interfaces.  And libraries are either unwilling or incapable of
significantly affecting that situation through our demands.

So, rather than have vendors spend what little resources they have on a
task they are bad at, I'm inclined to let them do what they are good at
-- working on fixing the backend, programmer-type-stuff and let us take
over the designer-interface-type stuff. 

--Dave

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David Walker
Web Development Librarian
Library
Cal State San Marcos
760-750-4379
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