Meredith & Karen Address the IT Dept

” It seems like at a lot of schools, the IT department controls every technology choice. Rather than educating faculty members on how to create wikis and blogs and use other cool technologies in the classroom, they keep faculty on a tight leash.”

Meredith Farkas

“One key justification for using virtual reference software rather than instant messaging software, shared with me at the state conference last week, is that many city IT departments don’t allow IM software. Which leads me to conclude:

1. Many city IT departments are too godlike,
2. Many libraries are unable to effectively work with IT departments (and will go to great lengths to avoid engaging with IT), and
3. We are all too good at shooting ourselves in the foot.”

Karen Scheider

Meredith & Karen – It’s like you read my mind. This is one of the biggest problems facing librarians, especially those poised on the edge of developing a Library 2.0 model of services that CRIES OUT for IT and Librarians to collaborate. I believe we need to examine these pelationships, talk openly about them and seel to communicate what the deal is. I also believe IT folk and librarians should work closely, nit just on a check in basis when something needs troubleshooting or a new service is discussed.

We have a lot to share with IT staff: user studies, all the new data about library use, social tools and millenials as well as simply elaborating on the mission of the library: goals, service priorities and objectives.

IT staff have a lot to share as well: elaboration on security issues, software selection, hardware too, etc…

Let’s come to the table and TALK! No defenses up..just conversation. Try it!