[Web4lib] Seeking Advice: Switching Career Paths

[David Kemper]

Hi everyone,

Thanks again to all those who commented, both on the list and off. I
appreciate the advice...and I am relieved to hear that there is hope.

As the discussion here simmers down, the thoughts and ideas will
continue to percolate in my head.

1) Be active, proactive, take steps in the right direction, whether
taking programming courses, building a portfolio, lending a hand in
other web-related projects, setting up a personal web presence - just
do something that gets me closer to the goal

2) Get involved with web-related organizations and groups

One thought just came to me: Avoid falling back into the familiar job
role that I have held for so long. Familiarity and comfort zones are
hard to break and often trap one from moving on or switching careers.

Have a great weekend.

David


On 8/31/07, Mary Beth Faccioli <mbfaccioli at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Hi David,
>
> My success has come from being willing to work in
> other library positions, and encouraging job creep in
> the web arena.
>
> Example: I was charged with putting a print procedures
> manual online as part of my responsibilities as a
> trainer.  I noticed that the staff that used this
> manual, who happen to be located all over the state,
> had issues with communication and feeling isolated.  I
> developed an intranet that included the online
> procedures manual, but also allowed for additional
> information sharing, discussion, etc.  I built it with
> Mambo (now Joomla).  So when I apply for jobs I don't
> just say I have Joomla experience – I talk about how
> my web and other technical skills have been used to
> creatively address and solve problems in an
> organization.
>
> I think it is important to play as others are
> recommending, but I believe you need experience in
> context in the way I'm describing.  The suggestion to
> work in a smaller library is a very good one – more
> likely to be able to leverage the job creep in such a
> setting because there is often this kind of need.
> They are rarely looking for the kind of uber web
> programming and other skills that larger universities
> tend to ask for.
>
> I don't believe that having additional web
> responsibilities added to your non-web job is being
> taken advantage of - I think one is being given an
> opportunity to develop skills in context in a way that
> will apply to other jobs.  It is how I've done what
> you're asking.
>
> There is so much happening in the web arena related to
> archives – perhaps you can beef this up a bit, since
> you mention you have done it some in the past.  E.g.
> get DSpace or another repository system going,
> digitize a bunch of material and make it available,
> etc.  Build a bridge from your archival experience to
> more of the web stuff in this way.  A possible
> approach?
>
> Best of luck!
>
> Mary Beth Faccioli, MLIS
> Training Consultant, Colorado State Library
> Web Support Specialist, EDUCAUSE
>
> --- Dan Kammer <dan.kammer at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Another possibility might be to initially go to a
> > smaller environment where
> > there is an unfulfilled need in this area.  At my
> > last job (total library
> > staff was 12) my title was "Reference Librarian" but
> > I was able to become
> > the web person and redesign the site and gain
> > experience.  At my current job
> > (campus of 2,000 students), and in the midst of a
> > campus-wide financial
> > crunch, there was a vacancy for the campus webmaster
> > position and I
> > essentially volunteered to take on these duties.  I
> > now lead the campus web
> > group and am learning details of networking, LAMP
> > and CMS's.  Of course I
> > realize I'm being taken advantage of as these are
> > duties way above and
> > beyond my regular job, but it does fulfill my desire
> > to be involved in these
> > areas and in the long run believe it will benefit
> > the library as I become
> > more knowledgeable.
> >
> > Dan
> >
> >
> >
> > On 8/30/07, David Kemper <siansleep at gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Thank you all for your suggestions. I can see how
> > each piece of advice can
> > > help.
> > >
> > > The hardest part for me so far has been getting
> > potential employers to
> > > see beyond the archivist role I have held for many
> > years. I think
> > > several assume--and a few have expressed directly
> > to me--that I am an
> > > archivist who worked on web projects, not enough
> > experience or
> > > qualifications for their particular Web Librarian
> > / Web Development
> > > needs. Breaking free from this will require an
> > image change and, as
> > > many have suggested, a portfolio and web presence.
> > Funny, I get caught
> > > up with creating web presences for others, but I
> > forget about myself.
> > >
> > > I agree with those who suggested I look beyond
> > library-land. I really
> > > like academic environments, and working in the
> > library as part of a
> > > Web team sounds ideal, but I have had not much
> > luck. Sounds like a
> > > good reason to look elsewhere.
> > >
> > > While I have my XHTML/CSS and some JavaScript, I
> > suspect more
> > > programming knowledge is in order, and I think the
> > languages suggested
> > > are a good start
> > >
> > > Besides web design, the Web as a communication,
> > collaboration,
> > > knowledge sharing, community-building tool
> > fascinates me.
> > >
> > > Anyway, please feel free to add more suggestions.
> > I think there are
> > > others in the same boat who could benefit from
> > this advice.
> > >
> > > Thank you!!
> > >
> > > David
> > >
> > > On 8/30/07, Will Kurt <wkurt at bbn.com> wrote:
> > > > Although I'm not a Web Services / Web
> > Development Librarian, I do run
> > > > a library job site in my spare time, so I do a
> > fair amount of web
> > > > development work and also see around a thousand
> > library job postings
> > > > a year.   My 2 cents are:
> > > >
> > > > Jon makes some good points, although I fully
> > believe that you (and
> > > > everyone who's posted) can get a web librarian
> > job if you want
> > > > it.  Too frequently libraries want an
> > unreasonable number of
> > > > qualifications for an equally unreasonable low
> > pay. I could rant
> > > > volumes about this, but needless to say I think
> > it's a poor practice.
> > > >
> > > > The point is don't be discouraged, and also
> > don't be afraid to look
> > > > outside of library-land for positions that may
> > be equally rewarding
> > > > and better paying.
> > > >
> > > > To echo what everyone else is saying: build
> > something! The site that
> > > > I run has been an incredible learning
> > experience, and continues to
> > > > scale as I learn new things.  Plus it provides a
> > useful service to a
> > > > lot of people in the area.
> > > >
> > > > Don't be afraid of programming, find a language
> > that works for you
> > > > and enjoy it. Once you know one interpreted
> > language well it's fairly
> > > > easy to at least understand what's happening in
> > another.  I'm going
> > > > to have to put in my plug for Python, which is
> > very easy to learn and
> > > > works well for everything from simple procedural
> > programming, to OOP
> > > > and even Functional Programming.
> > > >
> > > > And finally- DO NOT accept the library dogma
> > that getting low wages
> > > > is okay and just part of life, it's not.
> > > >
> > > > --Will
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > At 10:04 AM 8/30/2007, David Kemper wrote:
> > > > >Colleagues,
> > > > >
> > > > >I am seeking advice on switching careers. I am
> > currently in the
> > > > >archival field but would like to move into the
> > field of web design and
> > > > >website management in a library and/or
> > information center environment.
> > > > >I have been an archivist for almost 6 years.
> > Throughout that time,
> > > > >while mixing in some archival research work and
> > some processing, I was
> > > > >always recognized by supervisors and colleagues
> > as the "web guy," the
> > > > >Webmaster, the guy tinkering with Dreamweaver
> > and Photoshop, designing
> > > > >websites, taking advantage of web technology to
> > give greater access to
> > > > >archival material.
> > > > >
> > > > >Lately, the desire to transform myself from
> > informal web guy to formal
> > > > >web professional has become stronger, as I feel
> > my interest drift
> > > > >further away from my current field. A case in
> > point: I often feel more
> > > > >connected by discussions occurring here than on
> > other listservs.
> > > > >
> > > > >My attempts to switch gears have fallen short,
> > however.
> > > > >
> > > > >On numerous occasions I applied for Web
> > Services / Web Development
> > > > >Librarian positions (or something to that
> > extent) only to be told that
> > > > >1) I do not not have enough web experience, 2)
> > I do not have enough
> > > > >technical know-how, and the most common 3) I
> > should remain in archives
> > > > >because I have been doing it for so long. Like
> > a Hollywood actor, I
> > > > >have been typecast, it seems.
> > > > >
> > > > >I am wondering what I should do to switch
> > career paths effectively. I
> > > > >have taken numerous courses on web and
> > multimedia design; online
> > > > >information organization; graphic design and
> > others. And I have a real
> > > > >keen interest in the web and the latest trends,
> > and how they work to
> > > > >better communications and information delivery.
> > I am wondering if a
> > > > >few programming courses are in order? I am not
> > sure what should be my
> > > > >next step.
> > > > >
> > > > >Your input and advice would be much
> > appreciated. Feel free to email me
> > > > >off the list at siansleep at gmail.com
> > > > >
> > > > >Thank you.
> > > > >
> > > > >David
> > > > >_______________________________________________
> > > > >Web4lib mailing list
> >
> === message truncated ===
>
>
>
>
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