This just came in as a comment to “Meredith & Karen Address the IT Dept. from Craig, an academic librarian, and it merits being shared here as well. (I think I need a way to offer comments as a feed….)
At the academic library we work at, we have a Technology Advisory Committe that is comprised of 5 librarians (Associate Dean for Technical Services, Access Services division head, Technical Service division head, Public Service/Subject Specialist Librarian, Systems division head), 1 AP position (Head of our Digitization Lab), and 2 Civil Service staff members from our Systems Department. We are charged with deciding on all things related to technology at our library.
This hasn’t always been the case though. Being one of the C.S. Systems Staff, in the past we had a real problem with projects/expectations of implementing a new service that was just dropped into our lap either b/c of a funded grant project or the librarian thought it was a good idea to have it (with or without justification). Furthermore, many of the new technologies that were expected to implemented had not even been consulted with any member of our Systems Department. And like every public institution, we have seen funds/personnel decrease from year to year. We were faced with the usual issue of having less people to do more and this was stretching people too thin. Because of this, we created the TAC.
I’m not saying that this is the fail-safe answer to all of your technology problems. There are always negatives…like having another meeting to attend, another level to go through, and the risk of [more] committees to be created, however, having this known channel of communication in place has really helped us initiate and implement new projects involving technology.
Thanks Craig!