Why do Libraries Hire Librarians to do Tech Jobs?

Every time I see a job ad for a Systems Librarian where one of the essential criteria is library qualifications I wonder why? The predominant role of these positions is dealing with software and databases. I don't get it?

Anecdotally, it seems that systems librarians are the library workers who have an interest in computers somewhere in their past. Wouldn't libraries be better off with someone who has IT qualifications and experience running their software and databases?

My personal story is a similar one. While I'm not the systems librarian at MPOW I do manage our web presence - something I'm entirely unqualified for. I'm almost completely self-taught. I borrow bits of code and hack them together with my limited skill set. I often have ideas that I can't realise because I'm not a developer/programmer. I'm grateful for the opportunity that many Web 2.0 tools have given me because I can sometimes hack things together simply by filling out a web form and copy/pasting some code. But the possibilities are so much greater...

I explored these ideas a bit more on the RISG New Technologies blog.

Information 2.0

I wrote a post on the RISG New Technologies blog in response to an interesting piece I read titled A Revolution is Coming: Information 2.0 by Mark Lewis, President, EMC Content Management & Archiving Division.

The post addresses the possibilities that are opened up by making data available to the world so that it can be used in new ways and places.

The Hyperlinked Library

My response to a talk from Michael Stephens when he visited Australia in February 2008 titled The Hyperlinked Library posted on the RISG blog.

Skilling Up for the Next Generation

Skilling up for the next generation was a post I wrote for the RISG blog about the future skills that may be required by librarians. It was inspired by a post on the ReadWriteWeb called Sexy Librarians of the Future Will Help You Upload Your Videos to YouTube.

To Blog or Not To Blog...

This post on the RISG blog outlined the path to blogging that we took at MPOW. What prompted us to start a blog and what did we have to consider before deciding to go ahead and start blogging.