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One of the big shifts for me - a newbie to library science who switched over from industry late last spring - is just how many people _outside_ the college I interface with, part of that being the open source community. And I LOVE that aspect of my job, knowing that therešs a larger community out there, ready to share information with and support one another. -Bethany On 3/2/16, 9:21 AM, "Code for Libraries on behalf of Brian Kennison" <[log in to unmask] on behalf of [log in to unmask]> wrote: >On Mar 1, 2016, at 9:39 PM, Fitchett, Deborah ><[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> >wrote: > >I actually feel that the tech side of library things may be less >bewildering to a non-tech person than the *culture*. Things like: > >* the way any progress happens in University Time >* the way we're dependent on vendors in ways that mean that yes, often >our systems SUCK but we just have to play the hand we're dealt >* the sometimes-fraught relationship between Library IT and University IT >* the customer-focus of the library - including colleagues as customers >* and relatedly, the collaborative nature of so much library work >* depending on where they've come from and how well you're staffed, the >very "bitsy" nature of Library IT, not just in having to know about lots >of things but having to jump from one thing to another at a moment's >notice to troubleshoot instead of being able to get stuck into a project > >If someone has no experience in libraries and gets thrust into this >culture from something quite different, then no matter how quickly they >pick up the tech they risk feeling very adrift in terms of how Things Are >Done Around Here and jangling with people because each party is trying to >interact in very different ways. > >Or they may be a perfect fit culturally and that's why they've made the >move! But it's worth keeping a watch to be sure there aren't any "culture >shock" incidents, or if there are to deal with them before they cause too >much stress. > >Deborah > >+1