Judith Stucky-Condren's Profile

Technology and reference are intertwining strands of public service. As our
systems get more sophisticated, and as our desire to overhaul and remake those
systems gets more intense, libraries need librarians who are tech-savvy and
back-office staff who are pure tech. But is the drive toward more
technologyoriented public service a one-way street? Or is it equally important
for techies to have public service experience and skills, too? During my time as
a back-office techie, I found myself somewhat unmoored by the experience. I was
a walking bundle of solutions looking for problems. But the job did enable me to
explore technology with which I wasn't as familiar.

Among the lessons I learned is that it's easy for back-office techies to see
public service librarians as overly cautious with regard to technology, but that
caution is often the result of public service staff's constant contact with the
library's least tech-savvy patrons. Dedicated librarians see themselves as
advocates for their patrons, which, when combined with sufficient time on a
public desk, can result in a more tempered enthusiasm. Public service doesn't
make us negative; it just inspires a

Each area of librarianship offers a valuable perspective, but I see a lot of
snark online that's veering toward a dismissive attitude toward public service
librarians who seem hesitant about techie insights and ideas. I think it's
important to remember that we're all driven by the same goals-we want to provide
the very best to our patrons. Often, that librarian with the "negative"
perspective is thinking of patron complaints she has handled in the past.

Working together

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