While not a librarian position (faculty, MLS required), my job is a repurposed library technician position (staff, no MLS required).

I have a background in IT, with a Comp Sci degree, and my internship was running the library's ILS.  When I started working here full time as staff, I ended up in a cataloging technician position.  Gradually, more and more systems work got put into my position until it's nearly all systems and maintaining the new ILS.  There were and still are issues with HR and the union about what my position fully entails and what the job description can and can't include.  The extra programming and database work I had to do during migration was done via out of class pay, but that is limited in duration so the future of my position is currently unknown. 

-----Original Message-----
From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Samson, Bob
Sent: Thursday, December 07, 2017 7:10 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [CODE4LIB] Systems Librarian / software developer

I have a question regarding staff development and I am hoping someone can provide some advice.  I have two vacant librarian positions in my Library Systems department.  I need to fill those vacancies with software/systems developers in order to move our initiatives forward.  We have encountered reluctance on the part of our human resources to repurpose those librarian positions into developer positions.

Has anyone had success in posting Systems Librarian positions using education and experience requirements consistent with software developers?  We have sufficient flexibility in hiring librarians, but the skill sets differ significantly between librarians and developers.  Ideally, we would want someone with backgrounds in computer science rather than library science, for example.  I'm curious to know if anyone has tried this and been successful.

Bob Samson
Head of Library Systems & Technology
University of Texas at Arlington