Free Range Librarian

Karen, as far as users go, whether they are librarians or library customers, I’d say that all they’re concerned about is having software that works. They don’t care what language it’s written in, they don’t care if it’s proprietary or open source, they just want something that works and helps them achieve their objectives. I’m sure that Kathy Sierra has said something about this much better than I can – her blog is at http://headrush.typepad.com/creating_passionate_users/ – she’s always inspirational, even if it’s sometime hard to relate what she says to libraries.

I have no specific suggestions, but in general I’d remember my creative nonfiction training and start with a couple of scenes.

Specifically, I’d paint two scenarios of library users that remind the audience that their customers’ customers are their customers – that the quality of the experiences of ordinary library visitors is their ultimate concern as developers. One scenario would show how something about library software made for a excellent experience and the other would show an unsatisfactory one.

I’ll be one of the listeners (and looking forward to it) so it might be a little strange saying what I think you should say, but I liked Debi’s point a lot. I think the issues involved with successful communication (and being wary of context) would be good topics.

It would also tie in nicely, in my opinion, with code4lib’s collaborative thread (essence? being?) After all, sometimes we give and sometimes we take… being able to recognize the importance of each and shift contexts successfully (as givers or takers in different environments) certainly is a great skill… one most people (myself included) would do well to develop and refine.

I also agree that being able to listen is a key component to being able to successfully and gracefully shift contexts. And, of course, you can’t go wrong with, “BE NICE!”

Ah, yes, Steven… open in scene. Always good advice!

Here’s my suggestion; take it for what it’s worth.

It’s pretty clear, Karen, that you don’t have much faith in software of *any* stripe, nor in the people who create it. How did that happen? Why is it widespread in librarianship? (‘Cuz you’re hardly the only one.)

Crucially — what can librarians who are also creators of software do to earn your trust (and by extension, the trust of librarianship in general)? What about creators of software who are not librarians, and who (often with justification) feel shoved aside by the MLS crowd?

It’s a sticky subject (she wrote, as the bucket of litotes overflowed in a glutinous mess on the floor). I’m very likely the wrong person to bring it up in this context, as it’s well-known that I completely lost confidence in code4lib as a force in librarianship some time ago. But I think it’s a valuable topic, one you could speak to very effectively, and one that might allow both sides to get past some defensiveness and start thinking and talking together.

(*resists near-overpowering urge to sing “The Refdesk and the Techies Should Be Friends,” Oklahoma-style*)

What Karen is too nice to say is that I was the source of the questions. I’m sorry if the questions, or the phrasing of them, makes it sound as if Karen or I question the knowledge or perspective of the C4L community. As a proud member of that community, it would be the last thing I would want to do.

As Jeremy and Steve have pointed out, and I very much agree with, the C4L community tends to be very savvy about user needs. But I still think that someone with Karen’s experience may have a lot to say from which we can learn.

I wanted Karen to apply her unique perspective to the challenges and opportunities that we share and in so doing inspire and challenge us to do better. I regret that if in trying to challenge ourselves to do better it comes off more as an insult or as an “us vs. them” situation. That is not the way in which I intended such questions to be perceived, and I apologize for that.