Interviewing a Technician

Assignment #3

Bokshim Fox / MLIS 7505 / Dr. Yang / Summer 2012

Identify libraries (2 or 3 depending on the group size) that use Web 2.0 / Library 2.0 technologies and conduct interviews with librarians or administrators who using these technologies on a regular basis.

Interviewing the technician/ assistant director, Valerie Blanchard was a very helpful experience. She has been working at the Lake Blackshear Regional Library (LBRL) for about 6 years as a technician, and she pursued her Specialist degree in Information Studies. She has great knowledge and technological abilities.

1. How and where did you hear about CMS?

v  We covered it at FSU when I was getting my Specialist degree, and I'd been using it here since 2007.

2. What were our library’s motivations to adopt CMS for its current use (library website     or any other purpose?)

v  It's what our web host used so we went with it. He will make changes to our website if we need him to, but I always do so it will look like we want.

3. What were our library’s decision-making criteria?

v  Cost, ease of use

4. How long have we been using Joomla? What are the advantages and disadvantages of using Joomla?

v  Since 2005-2006. It has a great user interface but like many open-source software, it always has a few bugs with each update.

5. Would you prefer to use HTML and CSS over Joomla? Why or why not?

v  No! Joomla actually gives me a choice. I can do most of it using the Editor, then tweak it in html. But no, as bad as the Editor acts up sometimes, I'd hate to know I had to code it manually for each page!

6. What are the important benefits or advantages of CMS for our library we are using now over the old system or another CMS system our library used in the past?

v  This is the only one we've ever used.

7. How was the learning curve?

v  Not too bad. I learned as I went, and since it resembles most editors, creating an article is pretty easy.

Reflection:

Technician’s main / multiple duties.

—  System administrator

—  Webmaster

—  Tech person everything related to computer problems…more)

—  Provide all tech support for the LBRLS, from apps and software to hardware

At the academic library where I work, the technician doesn’t have responsibilities like the public librarian has because the university has an IT department and Web designers. These staff members work for the whole university, including the library.  If the library has problems related web design or IT, they have IT specialists to come to the library and fix the problems.

Therefore, I’ve learned that the technician that the public library has has more duties than the academic library technician. Also, she has to have abilities to fix all kind of problems related to technology.

What Kind of Advice for MLIS 7505 Classmates?

Get as much technological training and study as you possibly can while in grad school, because technology IS the future of libraries.