[Web4lib] Can you recommend training for newbie?

[Karen Harker]

Wow, that's a lot to expect from a newbie.  First, you might want to give your boss a reality check...it's going to take quite a bit of time just to learn the basics.  Second, depending on the infrastructure of your current site, it may be easier to start fresh with a new site rather than trying to upgrade within your current environment.  
 
For starters, look for hosted services, such as Blogger.com, the new free wiki farm, Wikia, etc.  These services will enable you to provide all the newest Web technologies without having to manage the details yourself.  It will also enable you to put your current talents to use right away (design) while giving you time to learn the technical methods (CSS, HTML, scripting, etc.).  You will have less control over look and feel, features, etc., but once you have learned the technologies to make such changes, you can then start considering bringing these tools home to manage yourself.
 
Finally, to answer your original question on training, there are many methods and resources for learning Web technologies.  Which you choose depends largely on how you learn best.  I've used the local library for books, which give me a good introduction (particularly the first few chapters).  Then I use Web sites which provide real-world examples of the technologies in action.  I rarely use formal training (classes) because they are so expensive...generally, the most useful things they provide are the written and online materials, most of which I can find for free.
 
Some good sites include: 
* For CSS, start with http://www.w3.org/Style/CSS/learning (W3 is the the source for CSS standard).  I can almost always find what I need in the W3 CSS tutorial (http://www.w3schools.com/css/default.asp).
* Similarly, W3's HTML Tutorial (http://www.w3schools.com/html/) is quite useful.  I've also used the Webpage Workshop (http://webpageworkshop.co.uk/) often.
 
Really, come to think of it, the technical aspects should really come second in your self-made curriculum.  You should focus first on more management and development issues, such as copyright, accessibility, usability, etc.  
 
Good luck!
 
 
Karen R. Harker, MLS
UT Southwestern Medical Library
5323 Harry Hines Blvd.
Dallas, TX  75390-9049
214-648-8946
http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/library/

>>> "Harwood, Rachel" <RHarwood at co.humboldt.ca.us> 1/2/2007 3:02 PM >>>

Hi.  My boss would like me to learn to be the library's web maintainer
and designer.  I have design skills, but no computer skills (bar the
usual reference-librarian-type skills of Boolean searching, showing
people how to use the software we provide on the public machines, and so
on.)  I've never learned a computer language or done programming of any
sort.

For maintenance, I believe I can learn most of what I need from the guy
who's been maintaining our current site - that won't be a big deal.
However, my boss is hoping that I will be able to add new features to
the site and so forth, ideally with minimal time expended to learn the
skills since our library is strapped for staff as well as cash.

Do you have recommendations for courses to take?  There are a
bewildering number of online offerings and I find it hard to judge what
would be useful.  There's a basic class at the community college later
in the Spring, but if an online class would do it might work better for
me.  Or, do you think this is a realistic venture?  Would it make more
sense to contract the design work to a web designer?

R. Harwood
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