[Web4lib] blue sky thinking

[Keith D. Engwall]

A similar thing happened at our library.  With only five professional positions available (including the Director), they took the drastic measure of consolidating the Cataloging and Acquisitions positions in order to create a Systems Librarian position (they didn't fire anyone... they did it when the Cataloging Librarian retired).  One of my primary responsibilites, along with managing the web site, LIS, library computers, etc., is to act as liasion to the IT department.

I've found that it's just as important to advocate for the IT department among librarians as it is to advocate for the Library to the IT department.  IT has very little time to explain or elaborate on problems that are occurring because they're busy fixing it, so I find myself doing it on their behalf, and it does a lot to alleviate frustrations among the librarians to really understand what is happening and why it may take a while to be addressed.

Really, both librarians and IT folks tend to be overtaxed, so having a specific route of communication that can translate the problems and filter out the emotions is essential.

Keith

Keith Engwall
Head of Library Systems and Technology
Catawba College Library
kengwall at catawba.edu
http://www.lib.catawba.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] 
Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2006 4:19 PM
To: web4lib
Subject: RE: [Web4lib] blue sky thinking

 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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