[11965] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Re: golden computer science degrees
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Joyce Latham)
Thu Jan 29 20:14:40 1998
Date: Thu, 29 Jan 1998 13:05:07 -0600
From: Joyce Latham <jlatham@interaccess.com>
To: PACS-L@LISTSERV.UH.EDU
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L@LISTSERV.UH.EDU>
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>
>>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.
>
>This will serve you in small-scale projects, and if you're in a small or one-
>person library, anything you can learn is useful. However, don't discount the
>value of understanding say, the theory of database design, especially in view
>of this comment...
Well, I don't work in a small or one person library <G>
>>I learned dbase programming by reading books and playing with it at home
>>-- many years ago.
>The great thing
>about dBASE/Clipper/FoxBase and descendants is that people without computer
>degrees could create some very useful systems.
>>>snip>>
>Unfortunately, that's also the bad thing - some people who didn't understand
>the principles of database design created some real horrors. This will
>probably become more common with the rise of databases aimed at regular users
>(e.g., Access) rather than developers.
The role of Microsoft is to popularize technology -- and they are doing
that successfully; they have a number of very useful products. Access is
not among the best of them. However, how many people -- Computer Science
degree or not -- can handle Oracle?
>
>A librarian friend who recently left for a programming job is taking a database
>course and now realizes how much there is to know about the design process.
I thought about this: database design is a significant skill. However, I
continue to wage battles -- and I do mean battles -- with computer
specialists who think libraries can run operations on a Sun Netra or Lotus
Notes. I actually spent one balmy afternoon bobbing around the Chesapeake
Bay trying to explain to the technical manager of MCI's legal department why
Lotus Notes wouldn't work.
Too often technical people minimize the value of library degrees, and our
own profession flinches. We do not need to flinch. We have skills the
computer profession needs, and we should stop apologizing for who and what
we are.
If anyone is coming to the CIL conference in DC, I'll be glad to continue
this discussion with even more animation.<G>
>
>>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.
>
>Absolutely.
Thanks.
>
>Bob Sullivan scp_sulli@sals.edu
>Schenectady County Public Library (NY) http://www.scpl.org
>
Joyce Latham
Chicago Public Library
