First off.. bud, you need to realize the kid that shows elderly how to use a flash drive, is not the same as a professional that when something REALLY happens with your network, requires a, well professional. It actually puts me on the offensive by saying Librarians will never require the amount of skill or certifications that a real IT professional would require of even himself.

IT isn’t about flash drives, or does he know how to restore Windows. It carries into network congestion, security leaks, registry and service edits and deployment packages, all the way to basic programming and database skills. IT Professionals, not little service assistants, may some of the best trouble shooters under pressure if there ever was one, with problem solving skills that are unmatched by the average human, the naturals at least.

Choose your words wisely Librarian, or people will profile you as a “Your late 10c fee, please” cranky, old Librarian just like they had in school. There are level’s to all professions. That is all.

“There is a big problem with removing specilizations and cross-training not just across but up-and-down. If I am am Jack of all trades, can I be a master of any?… There is a reason that most professions have specialists, people who are more trained than others in particular areas. It is a more efficient use of the organization’s time and money. The patron should ultimately be better served when we apply our resources most appropriately to allow librarians time for the things that we can’t delegate to those with less training, knowledge, or pay.”

I agree completely!!! I work in a regional library in a large system. There is no distinction between Librarians and Library Assistants other than “Librarians have more latitude to make more decisions”. As a Reference Librarian, I spend about half my day at the circ desk checking out books to patrons. I may work on the YS desk or check in/sort books, and then the remainder of my time is spent on the Ref Desk or programming. What I have seen first hand is that while the “every-one-does-everything” approach makes it much, much easier for managers, it does not provide library patrons with the best service. For example, an intricate circ problem takes ten times longer to resolve than in past libraries where I worked which had a specialized circ staff. And on the bottom line, it is really efficient to pay a professional Librarian’s salary t someone to check out/check in books for hours each day? I have no problem with helping out in other departments, but it seems to me that this should be the exception, rather than the norm. Otherwise, the “jack of all trades master of none” analogy is very appropriate. In today’s ever changing technological environment, we really need to be “masters” to be able to provide people with the guidance they need.

I resent the statements about tech support being “low level”, or something a high school kid could do. That’s demeaning and insulting! Do you have any idea what you have to be able to learn and know to maintain a library network? I got my MLS in 1991, so it was entirely classroom instruction. I got fed the material, did a little research, and wrote papers. It was easy! Most of what I do on my job I learned the hard way, either “on the fly” or from finding someone who could answer my questions.

We are large enough to have enough staff to cover the reference desk while I help patrons at the computers. I don’t just unjam the printer and show patrons how to use a flash drive, either. I’ve taught complete beginners to use computers, helped patrons fill out online job applications, and tried to coach patrons in learning the skills they needed for projects that were entirely beyond their capabilities. I spend about half my time as a reference librarian, too, so I see all sides of library work every day.

Don’t blanket me with the pejorative-sounding term “twopointopian”, either. I do a lot more than set up Twitter or Facebook accounts. And by the way, I’m over the age of 50, so maybe you think I’m not capable of learning anything new. Think again.

The computer system is an integral part of the services we offer, and the patrons recognize that. When are the “professionals” going to catch up?

Maybe not…But it’s FREE!!!!

We no longer have an information desk, and we’ve been directed not to touch patron hardware, so if I can talk them through their problems while also making PC reservations, directing people to the restrooms, answering reference questions, and troubleshooting our own computers, it’s nothing short of a miracle.

Wow you pegged me right thanks for not paying attention to me. I guess you cant train your staff to do the same thing? Its impossible to have paraprofessionals smile and greet people? Its impossible for them to answer reference questions? I am sure they will be glade to hear they are useless or inept. Now as I said the reference librarian or even reference librarian in charge for the shift is available to backup up the paraprofessionals when needed. Lets not forget most people dont like to use the reference desk, its why you have tons of web2.0/101 librarians twittering messages saying come see me. This means you will only get the odd ball question once in a few days. To me the idea of having tons of MLIS librarians sitting at a reference desk waiting for the odd question is a waste of money and devalues the role of the of a degreed librarian. Your right we have to build a relationship but that starts long before people come to the reference desk. If you wait for that then your waiting for a pink slip. I am not sitting behind my desk with books. I work right with my staff and other departments both in the library and within the rest of the City to get the job day. I am so well known I cant go anywhere in this City without someone saying “Hey I know you, you work at the library” I am more like Gandalf thank you

I’ve found over the years that those librarians who tried to stay in an office or off the floor were for the most part the least effective on the staff. Lots of instances over the years of people who got the MLIS and then realized it was really a service, people-oriented profession, not a “worship the books, caress the books” profession.