Alternative MLS Career Paths, or, the Dark Side?

Last weekend at NASIG I attended a panel session at which several librarians discussed their career choices and described their jobs at organizations such as consortia and subscription agents. It was a pretty good session, and one which I understand pops up at NASIG every now and then.

One phrase that kept coming out of the mouths of the panelists, however, was “the dark side.”  Now I like a good Star Wars reference as much as the next person, but as someone who just made the switch from working in a library to working for a library software company, I found it a bit perturbing.  When I started telling people about my new job, the only people who used that phrase were in sales, and I don’t recall anyone who works at a library using it during the panel session.

I’m sure there are librarians working in libraries who do think those of us in industry have gone to the dark side, but for the most part that has not been my experience. If we want to change perceptions about what we do and why, we should at least give ourselves a little credit and leave the “dark side” comments to, um, the Harrison Fords of the serials world.

Twittering

I think I first read about Twitter on Creating Passionate Users, but soon thereafter it started popping up on a lot of library blogs I read.  I didn’t want to get crushed in the stampede, so I waited out the buzz until this weekend when I got talking about it with a friend and decided to set up an account.  If you’re interested, you can find me at acbtanya, but be forewarned: I have no idea how or how often I’ll use it.

Driving Emerging Tech

I was recently asked to speak as part of a panel on emerging technologies. Alas, I couldn’t make it, but the panel description and questions really got me thinking about how libraries decide what new projects to pursue and why. The conference in question was organized around a transportation theme (e.g., the technology bus) and I was asked to think about technologies fueling the bus.

I may be taking the phrasing too literally, as I am wont to do, but it seems to me that this is a bit of a backwards way of thinking about things. Technology should not be in the driver’s seat. Technologies are tools for getting things done. Sometimes the appropriate technology is really great signage; sometimes it is a full-fledged ERM system (just to use a totally random, off-the-top-of-my-head example). Sometimes it’s even a cool Web 2.0 app.

Instead of “what technologies should we be using?” I think the questions need to be along the lines of, “What is our library trying to accomplish? What is the best way to accomplish that? What do our users need that we aren’t offering? How can we offer that?” What is the question that the technology you’re considering answers? If you can’t answer that question, maybe you’re barking up the wrong tree, to switch metaphors.

I have wondered if the reason we can get so focused on trying new apps is because it’s a lot easier than some of the alternatives, such as meeting regularly with every faculty member in one’s subject area, or putting together a first-class marketing campaign, or trying to convince the powers that be to get librarians into every single freshman composition class. When students are characterized as being on all the time, as being permanently connected to their cell phones, MP3 players, and Facebook accounts (I’m sure I’m behind the times with my examples; I’m a lackluster veteran after all…) it can be easy to justify working with a new technology. But with cool geek exceptions acknowledged, the aforementioned are simply ways to talk, write, listen, share, cruise, and declare affinities. We should work as hard as we can to make our technologies of choice so seamless they are invisible to most users and create a loyal fan club among the rest. That goes for signage just as much as AJAXified web apps.

Blog Widgets… and the Daily Puppy

It’s arguably been a while since I posted any truly useful content. But never fear, because now there is… The Daily Puppy!!! I have added The Daily Puppy as a widget in my sidebar. Look today or you might miss Brandy the Saint Bernard. I’m more of a cat person myself, but I’ve always had a soft spot for big dogs that still manage to look cuddly.

I’m intrigued by the proliferation of blog widgets and other blog add ons, since I rarely hop over to blogs from my feed reader unless the author mentions changes to the site or I know that the design gets updated frequently (e.g. dooce). I fiddle with my blog design mostly for my own amusement, to try out new things, and to give people finding the blog for the first time something interesting to look at. But I hardly expect that most of you see my site on a regular basis.

NASIG? ELUNA?

If you’re heading to NASIG this year, please look for me and say hello.  I’ll be starting a term as co-chair of the Electronic Communications Committee, but otherwise plan to keep a light meeting schedule. 🙂

Straight from Louisville I’ll be traveling to Spearfish, SD, for the Ex Libris Users North America meeting, where I’ll be doing an all-day SFX refresher at the Ex Libris Technical Seminar that precedes the user group meeting. Would you rather spend the day with me and SFX, or visiting Mt. Rushmore?  That’s what I thought.

On Being the Newbie Again

Now that I’m into week 5 at the new job and my personal belongings have caught up with me, I’m ready to tackle a blog post again.  It sounds simple, but let me tell you, starting a new job is exhausting!  I hadn’t done it since 2000 and had forgotten that feeling that comes around at 2 or 3 every afternoon for the first couple weeks, the one where you want to put your head down on your keyboard and close your eyes for a minute, even though you’re in a cubicle and everyone will see you sleeping at your desk.

I was pretty frustrated by the fatigue until I started listing in my mind all the things I’ve been trying to learn:

  • workflow diagrams
  • SQL
  • Web Services
  • Unix
  • travel tips
  • Interwise
  • the correct way to fill out an expense report
  • where the supplies are
  • how to set/un-set the office alarm
  • Oracle
  • Powerpoint animation

and, oh yeah, Verde.

This is in addition to all the random observation the brain is doing half-subconsciously: what’s the best way to get in touch with my manager? does she prefer e-mail, IM, or dropping by the office?  is that Hebrew I’m hearing over there? is it OK to pop my head up out of my cubicle to ask my neighbor a question? what does this button on my laptop do? should I just eat my lunch at my desk, or at that small table in the kitchen?

I’ve answered a lot of the questions and am making progress on the big stuff, but I definitely have a newfound empathy for new employees. If you’ve gone one at your place of work, take them to lunch or bring them some chocolate!

Staying in Touch with the Users

I started my professional life as a cataloger. I have felt the push and pull of inter-departmental wranglings: “they don’t understand the value of what we do!” and “they don’t understand how people actually use the catalog!” Now that I’ll be helping e-resource librarians implement an ERM system and will no longer be an end user myself, I’m conscious of the fact that I’ll start to lose touch with what it really means to do the job.

I would like to minimize that phenomenon as much as possible, and I’d like your help, dear reader. I still manage ERIL-L, I’ve recently learned about a couple e-resources blogs and have subscribed, and I recently joined the editorial board of JERDA, so I’ll surely be reading that. I plan to attend NASIG and start a subscription to Against the Grain. I know there’s more out there–what else should I be doing to stay connected to the front lines of ERM? Journals, websites, blogs, conferences? Send your suggestions, please, so I’ll be well prepared to assist should Verde be in your library’s future!