Janet's Blog

People leaving Meebo messages need to provide an email address or something so I can do this more easily...but you asked me some questions, and since I am a librarian, I feel a compulsion to answer.

Hello, I found your blog after clicking around on people's blogs related to library stuff. You mention you are a Systems Librarian. I was wondering what your background schooling was. Did you go to Wayne State or U of M or was it out of state. Also, I am interested in possibly going the Systems Librarian route. What might I do to prepare myself for such a position? I'm sorry this was not related to the subject matter of your blog. You are an inspiration, you should know.

I fell into Systems Librarianship purely on accident. I got my MLIS at Wayne State University (unlike SOME institutions, Wayne isn't afraid of "the L-Word"), which at the time I attended, had very little to offer in the way of computers or anything systems related. There was a basic Internet for searching class, a basic class on computery things like using word processing programs, and then I took two electives from the same professor which repeated a lot of content and had to do with making web pages and learning a tiny amount of unix. I once accidentally wiped out the Wayne State LISP website on the web server because my instructor didn't specify that we should upload our files into a new directory, and I had very conscientiously named my index file "index.html." My instructor was responsible for that page at the time and since he did all of his editing live on the server, had no backups. This was a great lesson in backing up one's work.

I will state for the record that I very cleverly repaired the problem by figuring that at least one of the computers in the LISP lab would have a cached copy of the webpage. Crisis averted.

Wayne seems to have improved its offerings as far as computer classes go, but it really is difficult to prepare someone for the job "Systems Librarian" because many of the specific duties and requirements are going to depend on which automated library system a given library uses and what the IT environment is like.

I would recommend learning as much as you can about: computer workstation hardware and software, networking, unix, managing a server, web design; with the caveat that as a Systems Librarian you may end up working on all or none of those things. Also, do whatever you can to improve or build on your teaching and training skills.

I started as a reference librarian who, in addition to providing reference for patrons, also offered training classes for staff on things like PowerPoint and PhotoShop--I loved reference and teaching. When the person who supervised the "techy" people left for greener pastures, my library director said to himself, "Hmmm, Janet kind of likes computers. SHE can be the Systems person!" I was sent for Solaris training and training that is specific to Innovative Interfaces system management.

I still end up doing a fair amount of reference because my office is the first door people come to when they look for the librarians. I had the chance to move my office, but I find it helpful to know what people are searching for, what problems they are having, and if the computers or printers are on the fritz, I will hopefully hear about it very quickly. The website coordinator is actually a member of the reference department, and I work with her a great deal on site design, user testing, and trying out new software.

I am not required to actually fix computer workstations: the dudes who report to me generally do that (and they do it better than I could). When we have server issues, we hire contract employees to deal with the Solaris box, or the dude who has the most experience with Windows handles those servers. Mostly I coordinate things; sign paystubs; make sure that things are getting purchased; and communicate with the director (who does not necessarily understand my employees when they try to explain something...I think he hears what the grown-ups sound like in the Charlie Brown cartoons: "Wah waaah wah waaaah..."), other departments in the library, and the campus IT department.

Some Systems Librarians will find themselves only working on the automated library system and will have no say in how computers are set up because the computers/servers/network may be managed by an IT department that doesn't want anyone to have administrative privileges. Some Systems Librarians will find themselves doing absolutely everything, including maintaining the phone system.

Just try to be somewhat knowledgeable (or able to fake it really well) and be prepared to keep learning as you go.

Finally, I don't mind that your question was seemingly unrelated to my blog content--being able to continue working has actually been very good for my health and sanity. And thanks for the compliment, although I think I'm pretty much just doing what I have to do.

Labels: library

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