[Web4lib] blue sky thinking

[HAZEL Margaret E]

 This is why my particular position was created.  I am the Principal
Librarian for Technology here, and this means I have the librarian
background, and am part of the vision and planning for the library, but
I also have a tech background, and supervise the tech support staff in
the library using language they understand, and am the liaison with the
City IT folks, who do our networks and servers, but at a job level where
they have to respect my authority to some extent.  I can talk to both
sides, and believe that this is a very valuable position (ok, I'm
biased!) for the modern library, with its dependence on technology.

-Margaret

Margaret E. Hazel
Principal Librarian, Technology
Eugene Public Library
Eugene, OR

-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Steve Oberg
Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2006 10:10 AM
To: web4lib
Subject: Re: [Web4lib] blue sky thinking

I agree that communication with IT folks is critical.  All too often,
however, the communication can be rather one-sided.  By this I mean that
mission critical systems may be taken down with no warning or
communication of any kind from IT.  Decisions about infrastructure,
authentication, hardware and software, and more, are frequently made by
IT without any consultation with those affected in libraries.  This is
what I find particularly frustrating.  This is not true of all IT
operations by any means, but I know that it is true of some.  What I'm
getting at is yes, we need to try as much as possible to "play nice"
and talk with one another, but that becomes difficult when the library
is not even at the table for discussion, or in the loop at all in terms
of communication.  Changing this kind of situation takes a tremendous
amount of patience, energy, and long term effort.  It can happen!

On the other hand, there are times and situations when we simply cannot
afford to sit and wait, or rely upon a long term dialog to work out
troubles.  This is where the option to outsource or to "go it alone" if
that's possible, needs to be kept in mind.

Steve

--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Steve Oberg
Family Man Librarian
www.familymanlibrarian.com
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