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Agreed: "Patience, Elbow Grease, Trial and Error" plus stick-to-it-itivenes (to use a word from Seymour Skinner). Mark ----- Original Message ----- > Ceci, > > I'd honestly recommend just continuing to play, experiment and try > things. You don't mention programming/scripting in your initial post, > but I can promise you that it's at the core of the cat/sys > intersection > you speak of. > > There's a wealth of information out there on trying to start learning > this kind of thing, and I really would recommend just jumping right in > and trying. Here's where I'd start if I was coming from a cataloging > background: > > * Find a large file of MARC data (you can find free samples and files > from a number of publishers, or experiment downloading 1 by 1 over > z39.50 or OAI. > * If your not using MarcEdit already, install it and have a look at > your > data. > * If you know MARC well, and want to learn XML, download yaz, and use > yaz-marcdump to convert your marc file to MARC-XML and have a look at > that. (This is a single line typed at command prompt). > * Install a scripting environment of your choosing (I'd probably > recommend one of: ruby, perl, php or python), and the MARC > library/module/gem for it. Go here for more information on MARC > libraries, MarcEdit and sample MARC Files: > http://wiki.code4lib.org/index.php/Working_with_MaRC > * Google "Hello World" [your chosen language], and follow the > instructions in the first couple hits you find. > * Start playing. In ruby, for example, a simple "hello-MARC-world" > like > program that loops through a set of records and prints the title of > each > one is 6-8 lines, from here, think about things that you might want to > dig through records for. Think about questions you might ask a file, > such as if the titles not the main entry, print me the main entry, and > try to figure out how they might work. As you find yourself having > specific questions, you'll find answers to a lot of them online, in > sample code, in Q&A forums like Stack Overflow, and on myriad blogs > and > articles. > > I recently stumbled across a LifeHacker thread on teaching oneself to > program: > http://lifehacker.com/5401954/programmer-101-teach-yourself-how-to-code > > The last section, titled "Patience, Elbow Grease, Trial and Error" is > the core of the matter to my mind. I think this pretty much echos > Devon > & Eric's responses as well. Play with things, have fun, and try not to > be intimidated. Ask questions here and read voraciously. Most > importantly, though I've already said it: PLAY, and have FUN! > > Hope that helps, and have a great weekend. > -Corey > > On 5/6/2011 3:24 PM, Ceci Land wrote: > > Thanks Mike. That's exactly the straight up kind of answer I'm > > looking for. I presently work in cataloging so I find myself really > > interested in what I'd call the "intersection" of cataloging and > > systems work. But at my present library, that intersection doesn't > > exist, the two worlds are kept quite separate. > > > > I have realized that getting the degree will not likely prepare me > > to do the kind of work I want to do. Nor will my present job. I'm > > actually considering (fearfully mind you) finding some internships > > while I'm in school that challenge me more. I'd have to give up > > health insurance and take on more debt to do so though...ergo the > > fear. > > > > Thanks for your reply. > > Ceci > > > > > >>>> On 5/6/2011 at 2:11 PM, in > >>>> message<[log in to unmask]>, > >>>> "Michael J. Giarlo"<[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > > > Hi Ceci, > > > > I hope you don't interpret this as a glib throwaway, but the best > > answer I've seen so far was blogged by Dan Chudnov a while back. > > Here > > it is: > > > > http://onebiglibrary.net/story/advice-to-a-library-school-student > > > > Worth a read, IMO! > > > > Best of luck to you, > > > > -Mike > > > > > > On Fri, May 6, 2011 at 15:07, Ceci Land<[log in to unmask]> > > wrote: > >> Hello everyone. The recent thread asking people what they would > >> like to learn if they had the time brought another question to my > >> mind. If you were looking to get into "this side" of the > >> profession, what would you recommend focusing on? > >> > >> IOW, suppose you were a current MLIS graduate student (that's me) > >> who has a techy sort of inclination. But also assume that your > >> current job as paraprofessional staff involves minimal computer > >> skills, no programming or scripting and this situation will not > >> ever change. Imagine that you've taken every programming and > >> database class you can fit into your schedule, but you realize that > >> course work will only take you slightly beyond a beginner level > >> even if you make A's. (in an IS based program, not CS. I would have > >> preferred the CS route, but work could not accommodate the > >> class/lab time during the days) > >> > >> How would you choose to develop your skills from "baby" level to > >> something useful to the profession? Will developing projects on > >> your personal time and hosting them yourself be enough to get > >> noticed when they day comes that you graduate with your shiny new > >> diploma? What core skills would you choose to focus on? Would you > >> give up a secure job with benefits to find an internship that could > >> really challenge your programming, web development etc. skills? > >> > >> I see many people on this list with very strong skills, but in the > >> job world, I don't see many 2nd string/entry level jobs that would > >> allow someone to hone their skills to the level I often see here. > >> I've been thinking that I should focus on further developing my > >> abilities in: HTML/CSS of course, XML, XSLT, PHP, and MySQL > >> (because they're all readily available for someone to play with > >> despite not being employed in a systems department). It seems that > >> anything I can learn about metadata transformations/crosswalks and > >> RDF would be useful too. I also find some classification theories > >> very compelling (ok, I admit that colon classification really got > >> my attention in my first MLIS class) and found myself drawn to > >> potentially being interested in taxonomies and controlled > >> vocabulary. I know nothing about Drupal, but I wonder if I should > >> include in my smorgasbord. How much is too much and where you y'all > >> recommend I put my energy? > >> > >> Any advice is greatly appreciated. The more specific the better. :) > >> Thx! > >> > > -- > Corey A Harper > Metadata Services Librarian > New York University Libraries > 20 Cooper Square, 3rd Floor > New York, NY 10003-7112 > 212.998.2479 > [log in to unmask]