The Webmaster: A new player in the information centre's online team
| Date | 01 June 1997 |
| Published date | 01 June 1997 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb045595 |
| Pages | 447-454 |
| Author | Pieter W. van der Walt,Pieter A. van Brakel |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Library & information science |
FOCUS
article
..the changing
face
of
information
The Webmaster:
a new
player
in
the information centre's online
team
Pieter W.
van der
Walt
Intertech Systems
(Pty)
Ltd,
PO
Box
4307,
1685
Halfway House, South Africa
E-mail: pvdwalt@ibi.co.za
Pieter A.
van
Brakel
Department
of
Information Studies, Rand Afrikaans University,
PO Box 524,
2006 Auckland Park, South Africa
E-mail: pavb@info.rau.ac.za
Abstract:
In
the pre-Web
days,
in
fact not more than two years
ago,
there was
no
mention
of
the
word
or
even
a
job
description
for
what we know today
as
the
Webmaster.
The phenomenal
and
even
unexpected
growth
of
the
Internet,
but
specifically
the
World Wide
Web,
created the need
for a completely new and
unique
staff member in
an
organisation
with
very specialised interests
and
skills.
It
soon became
clear
that practical
knowledge
of
new skills
such
as
HTML formatting
and
Web
server
installation
and
maintenance were
imper-
ative
for an
organisation that wants
to
stay ahead
of its
competitors.
Today,
the
main assignment
of a
Webmaster is
to
design,
implement
and
maintain
an
effective World Wide Web
site.
To
be
able
to do this the
Webmaster must acquire knowledge
of
diverse
fields such as
network
configuration,
interface
and graphical
design, software development, business
strategy,
writing, editing, marketing
and
project management.
Furthermore,
both the growth rate
of
the Web
and its impact on
enterprise
are
responsible
for
the fact that
the
task description
of
the Webmaster
is
under constant
transformation.
Instead
of
being
only
responsible
for
HTML
formatting,
programming
and
Web
site
maintenance,
Webmasters have become
an
integral
part of a
larger
Web
site
team
and
have
to
manage other specialised tasks such
as being an
editor,
graphic
artist and
programmer.
The
Webmaster has
in
certain
instances become
an
important
part
of
the team responsible
for
the
entire business strategy
of
an
enterprise,
because many
Web
sites are now being used for
their
market-
ing and
supporting
activities.
However,
with online
database vendors
such
as
KR
Dialog,
DataStar,
Medline
and
LEXIS-NEXIS
also moving into
the
Web
environment,
a
few
of
which
have already
implemented
Web-
based
interfaces
to assist in the
online search
process,
the
Webmaster's responsibilities
might
extend to
that
of
supporting information professionals
and their
online search activities
as
well.
Hence
the
goal and position
of
the Webmaster will
be
discussed
in an
effort
to
indicate
how
the Webmaster can
play a role
in
enhancing
the online search
process.
1.
Introduction
The Internet,
and
especially
the
World Wide
Web
(or,
the
Web),
is
having
a
profound effect
on
tradi-
tional online search services: that
is,
on their search
facilities as well
as
the techniques
to
manipulate
the
online databases made available
by
these services.
The information professional
has all of a
sudden
acquired the additional task
of
learning
to
search
for
information
in a
completely
new
electronic
environ-
ment, viz.
the
Internet. Traditional informal channels
for transmitting information that
are now
available
form an essential part
of the
professional's informa-
tion infrastructure, such
as
e-mail
and
listserv
archives. Various important formal channels have
also originated
as
alternatives
to
paper-based for-
mats,
such as journals, conference proceedings
and
other full-text publications. Every one
of the
millions
of
Web
sites currently accessible
is a
potential
source
of
information. Consequently,
Web
search
engines emerged
in an
effort
to
provide Web users
with access
to
information found
on
these
sites.
A
completely
new
information retrieval paradigm
has
emerged!
The information professional soon had
to
learn
how
to
use the
information retrieval mechanisms
of
this
new environment. These stand
in
complete contrast
The Electronic Library, Vol. 15, No.
6,
December 1997
447
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