Random & Casual Poll: What abt. Web Services Should You Know?

[Hogue Melanie]

Oh, you're right. The list gets very long! In my case, it was
serendipitous; but one should be able to make choices and plan. If you
are aiming to be a one-man show (working in a small library) or if you
know the library system where you will work; you can aim for what will
work for you or what is likely to be in use.

 

I have found, like someone else already said, that once you learn a
programming language (like PHP), the mark-up language for websites
(HTML, XML) or "style controls" (like XSLT and CSS), you can look hard
at other types of these and figure them out quickly.  Frameworks and
CMSs use one programming language and many or all of the mark-up and
style languages all together as SYSTEMs. CMSs, like Joomla and Drupal
are known for being relatively user friendly; but ASP.NET in my
experience is more for computer network administrators; unless you are
really motivated or gifted in that area.

 

Melanie Amy Hogue
Chattanooga Public Library, Chattanooga, Tennessee

hogue_m at lib.chattanooga.gov

423-855-2684

 

From: Web technologies in libraries [mailto:WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On
Behalf Of Nina Mchale
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2012 4:21 PM
To: WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU
Subject: Re: [WEB4LIB] Random & Casual Poll: What abt. Web Services
Should You Know?

 

I would also add familiarity with one or more of the major proprietary
or open source content management systems popular in library
environments--WordPress, Drupal, Joomla!, MediaWiki, SharePoint,
LibGuides, etc. CMS management is a set of skills in and of itself,
beyond just knowledge of whatever code is operates the CMS. 

 

Related to this is web content strategy. Who creates content along with
you, the web person? How do you manage content so that it doesn't get
old/stale/outdated or is even just written well for web presentation?
How do you make sure brand/messaging/voice are all on target, with
multiple authors/editors? Often, navigating tasks, procedures, policies,
staffing, etc., related to content management is more complicated that
learning programming languages. ;) The web person/people in a library
will have all of the responsibility for web content, but very little in
the way of actual authority to do what s/he needs to do. It might be
hard to build experience in this area, but I'd suggest volunteering for
a non-profit--church, school, HOA, historical society, etc.--if this
isn't available to the student.

 

Also, web analytics: familiarity with basic metrics (visits, visitors,
unique visitors), goals, KPIs, conversions, and how to apply all of
these to an assessment of library web services.

 

-- 
Nina

Nina McHale, MA/MSLS
milehighbrarian.net <http://milehighbrarian.net/> 
Facebook & Twitter: @ninermac

On Mon, Sep 10, 2012 at 2:12 PM, Michael Schofield <mschofield at nova.edu>
wrote:

Hi everyone,

 

Every so often in the library blogosophere I see posts dedicated to
whether librarians should know how to code. The answer I usually give is
awful - something like, "Um. Probably." Anyway, since you all work with
the web and/or library systems, I'm curious about your wizened answers.
Here's the scenario: if a LIS student intending to work in web services
(or w/e) asked your advice, what code / platforms / other skills would
you recommend for success?

 

I'll compile and share the results in a couple of weeks.

 

All the best,

 

Michael Schofield(@nova.edu) | Web Services Librarian

Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center

 

Hi! Hit me up any time, but I'd really appreciate it if you report
broken links, bugs, your meeting minutes, or request an awesome web app
over on the Library Web Services <http://staff.library.nova.edu/pm>
site.

 

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