[11931] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Re: more golden...
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Joyce Latham)
Thu Jan 15 20:48:25 1998
Date: Thu, 15 Jan 1998 17:24:01 -0600
From: Joyce Latham <jlatham@interaccess.com>
In-Reply-To: <Pine.OSF.3.96.980113091706.11285A-100000@copper.ucs.indiana.edu>
To: PACS-L@LISTSERV.UH.EDU
Reply-To: Joyce Latham <jlatham@interaccess.com>
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Sure, if you want to be a tech head, go become one. If you want to have
an applications-based background, study applications. Get an
undergraduate degree in Computer Science (useless) and then go get a
library degree and proclaim yourself an information professional. That'll
work ... for awhile.
Libraries need librarians that understand how technology serves their
profession. What librarians do not understand is that you cannot study
technology -- you use it; you figure out how to use it; you experiment
with it; you fail with it before, probably, you succeed with it.
Librarians want to eliminate the risk in technology by gaining some kind
of intellectual control of the process.
I learned dbase programming by reading books and playing with it at home
-- many years ago. I remember waiting for hours while Clipper compiled an
application on my 8088. Technology expertise comes from thinking it's cool
and it can make life better and I can use it over here to solve this
little problem, and then this little bigger problem, and then bigger yet.
Libraries need tehnology managers, in fact, librarians that are
technology managers. Web pages are one small piece of the pie. Web heads
are not qualified to manage large installations, with multiple platforms
and competing development demands. If the industry moguls haven't
discovered that, they will.
Don't ask the profession to justify your choice; it can't. But there is
nothing to stop you from learning what you want to learn. I say it over
and over again -- Go for it; do it. there are lot's of avenues outside of
library school.
Joyce, MLS
& Brandy, CDX WC & Zoe CDX WC & CH Arrroooowwww CD
