[Michlib-l] Library Student

Mon Feb 10 17:44:17 EST 2014

I just want to chime in and concur with Andrew and others who have commented and add a couple points. I completely agree with all the comments so far about even if your library employer uses a Content Management System, there is still a lot to know to be able to bend it to your will and to serve patrons best by integrating the 1,001 pieces of a modern library's website and 'fixing' the annoying user interface problems that our vendors can't ever seem to get around to or even just using technology to work smarter. Even if you never directly get your hands dirty in code in your library job, knowing enough about what is possible and the level of effort required to achieve something in a web-based interface will serve you and your future employer well in that you can talk intelligently with tech support, you can write actionable enhancement requests, you can effectively write project requirements and manage work with a freelance developer, you can advocate for patrons with technical people, you can understand more about how web sites really work, and therefore be a better user of web sites and a better teacher, you can raise your hand to actually help instead of just complain about a bad interface, you can advocate for sufficient resources (time and money) to get things right in a web project b/c you know how much work is involved.

It's like understanding cataloging. Does a public service librarian need to know every detail of cataloging procedure? No. Is she a better searcher and librarian if she knows her way around a MARC record? Yes.

Another way to think about it is, are you a consumer or a maker? Makers are smarter consumers.

I think smart library hiring managers will try to find out what applicants know in this regard. A credential is a clue. Experience and a portfolio is better. If I were considering an application for a youth librarian, and one had demonstrated curiosity and a willingness to engage in the complexity of technology of some sort and one had not, of course I'd prefer the curious one. But, then again, I don't get to hire youth librarians.

Sheryl Cormicle Knox
Technology Director
BA in English, MLIS
Self-taught in everything else

From: michlib-l-bounces at mail.mcls.org [mailto:michlib-l-bounces at mail.mcls.org] On Behalf Of Mutch, Andrew
Sent: Monday, February 10, 2014 11:07 AM
To: Michelle Sawicki
Cc: michlib-l at lists.mcls.org
Subject: Re: [Michlib-l] Library Student

Michelle S.,

If you're the person responsible for designing or managing the web site, you'll need those coding skills. The migration to content management systems (and before that, software that relied on web page templates) has largely eliminated the need for the average content contributor to be able to hand code HTML. But the content editing portion of those systems is just a piece of the overall system and if you're the person tasked with managing the web site, often times, you'll need to poke around under the hood to tweak settings, code, etc. to get it to do exactly what you (or your staff) want it to do. That's where an understanding of the various scripting languages can make you an invaluable part of the technology team (especially if it's a team of 1!)

More adventurous individuals go beyond tweaking and actually write their own code or assist others in writing the code to create modules/plug-ins/etc. that are customized to meet a particular need for a library or a community. You'll often find an off-the-shelf solution that's pretty close but needs some adjustment to meet the needs of your library. That's where an understanding of the underlying coding can allow you to make changes without breaking it. Even if you don't do that kind of work in your day job, there are opportunities to contribute in various ways to projects inside and outside the library community if you want to further develop those skills.

Andrew Mutch
Library Systems Technician
Waterford Township Public Library

From: michlib-l-bounces at mail.mcls.org [mailto:michlib-l-bounces at mail.mcls.org] On Behalf Of Michelle Sawicki
Sent: Monday, February 10, 2014 10:40 AM
To: michelle wise
Cc: michlib-l at lists.mcls.org
Subject: Re: [Michlib-l] Library Student

I am finishing up the Web Design/Information Management Certificate at Wayne State this semester. When I am done I will have a basic understanding of html, css, php, java script and some other scripting languages. I think it is fabulous to obtain these skills, but I am not sure how practical they will be in my upcoming positions. What Wayne State focuses on is the actual coding itself. If I were to create a library website by hand/scratch, this would be an invaluable skill. However, every library I have worked at has used an editor to create their website. There really isn't a need to keep reinventing the wheel. So I am guessing I will ultimately be using an editor too some day, if web design is a part of my future job at all. I am glad I learned scripting languages though...but how relevant will it be for my job and how long will the skills I have learned remain relevant? I don't know...

Michelle Sawicki
Circulation Team Leader
Thomas M. Cooley Law School
3475 Plymouth Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
734-372-4900 x8767

On Thu, Feb 6, 2014 at 5:14 PM, michelle wise <michellew1989 at hotmail.com<mailto:michellew1989 at hotmail.com>> wrote:
I am currently signed up to take my summer semester classes, which would finish off my MLIS degree if I stopped there. My questions are: do you have certificates with your degree, do you or did you have much experience before-hand, and does your library look at certificates OR experience more when it comes to hiring?

I am an online student at Wayne State University. The two certificates I was planning on getting are {Library Services to Children and Adults, Public} and {Information Management for Librarians-Web Design and Development}. Each certificate is basically (one semester) 4 months of effort and $4,400- is it worth it? I would love to be a Teen Librarian in a public library with some web elements.

If you wouldn't mind adding your position/Title with your comments, please do. Any recommendations would be very helpful.

Thank you,

                        ~Michelle Wise~

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