The integrated librarian: IT in the systems office
| Pages | 280-288 |
| Published date | 01 September 2003 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/07378830310494454 |
| Date | 01 September 2003 |
| Author | Lisa Goddard |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Library & information science |
The integrated librarian:
IT in the systems office
Lisa Goddard
The allure of systems librarianship
When I my received my master's in Library and
Information Studies (MLIS) from McGill
University in 1997, I had not considered
systems librarianship as a possible career path.
In graduate school we had explored the usual
options of cataloguing, collections, archives and
reference services. Although I was aware that
the work of all of these positions was supported
and facilitated by an integrated library system
(ILS), somehow the fact that the system itself
was supported and maintained by a group of
librarians escaped me entirely.
When I started my first job, as a reference
librarian at Marianopolis College in Montreal,
I was unprepared for the extent to which my job
depended on technology, and the extent to
which the technology depended on me. I spent
almost all of my time in front of a computer,
even during instruction and public service. The
library was effectively crippled if the network
was unavailable, or the catalogue was down.
During the course of my MLIS I had done
some coursework in database design, electronic
searching, and HTML. As one of only two
librarians in a small college library, I was
suddenly involved in setting up a network
server, establishing a LAN, implementing a
library Web server, purchasing and installing
computer assisted learning software, designing
a Web site, and selecting a new ILS. Part of my
job too, was helping staff and students use all of
these tools effectively through formal
instruction sessions, and during my time on the
reference desk.
As we introduced more automation, it
became obvious that relying on external support
staff for minor troubleshooting issues would
impede our ability to provide efficient service.
Restarting a Web server may simply be a matter
of double clicking an icon, but can result in a
long service interruption when librarians must
contact outside support people to solve the
problem. If on-line reserve material is
unavailable for several hours the night before a
big exam, the service outage can result in angry
students, and a loss of credibility for the library.
Clients will be frustrated if they cannot print
their results after spending two hours finding
articles. Students who come to school on the
weekend to use a specific networked CD-ROM
The author
Lisa Goddard is Manager, Queen Elizabeth II Information
Technology Services, Memorial University of Newfoundland,
St John's, Newfoundland, Canada.
Keywords
Education, Library and information networks,
Library management, Information systems, Automation,
Canada
Abstract
The library systems office is under increasing pressure to
support not only the integrated library system (ILS), but a
proliferation of systems, servers and technologies. Some
systems librarians have the advantage of a computer science
degree, but many have acquired their technical knowledge
on-the-job. The technological complexity of current systems
work prohibits new librarians from entering the field without
some existing expertise. Canadian library schools are not
adequately preparing new librarians for systems work, and
there are simply not enough librarians with a computer
science background to meet the demand for computer savvy
librarians. This article proposes a third option ± the
combination of a Masters of Library and Information Science
(MILS) with a one year Information Technology Diploma. It
discusses the author's experience moving into systems by
way of IT, and outlines the benefits of cultivating librarians
with IT knowledge, rather than relying on non-librarians to
perform technical work in the library.
Electronic access
The Emerald Research Register for this journal is available at
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/researchregister
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is
available at
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/0737-8831.htm
280
Library Hi Tech
Volume 21 .Number 3 .2003 .pp. 280-288
#MCB UP Limited .ISSN 0737-8831
DOI 10.1108/07378830310494454
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