Patrick - congratulations on going down this path and learning to code.  It's nice that you enjoy working in libraries, but you may find it a bit early to decide where to move forward.  There is a very old book, "Do what you want, the money will follow", that got me thinking more about what I valued rather than what was "best".  Libraries, to me, were like "home" (what a surprise - my mother was a librarian), so no matter what other paths I went down, I always had a way to get "home".  But that is me - your path may not include a "home" but rather some other value that may lead you elsewhere or encourage you to stay.  

Coding or programming is a skill that can be useful for many professions or careers in the information field. I have faith that libraries will be around for a very long time, but, as indicated by the Fifth Law of Library Science, they are a growing organism, evolving to meet the changing needs.  Keep learning the skills and see where you can take it - whether it's working for libraries directly (library web sites) or indirectly (platforms).  You are in the best environment for learning - take advantage of it.


Karen R. Harker, MLS, MPH
Collection Assessment Librarian
UNT Libraries



-----Original Message-----
From: Code for Libraries <[log in to unmask]> On Behalf Of Patrick Pletcher
Sent: Thursday, December 15, 2022 5:10 PM
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Subject: [EXT] [CODE4LIB] Circulation clerk learning to code.

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Hi, this is my first time posting to a list like this. I am a circulation clerk who is learning to code at freecodecamp.org. Right now I am studying html and css, but I plan on going through all the lessons on the website. I enjoy working in libraries, and I also enjoy writing code. I am not sure where I am going with this. Do I stay in the library field, or do I go off in a completely different direction? I would appreciate your input. I think I would like best to work for a company that provides access to eBooks or audio books. I like print, but I don't see people using ink printed on dead trees 50 years from now, with all of the environmental issues the planet is facing.