Michelle,

You are learning very important set of skills. You are correct in your assessment about many library websites. Keep in mind the real challenge comes when integrating third party systems into the library environment for college/university libraries. Third party systems like digital commons (repositories), mobile platforms, link resolvers, etc. all require unique customization. It is important to integrate these third party platforms in such a way as to let users knows that they are at your site, even if it's happens to be a a third party platform. Library branding along with seamless presentation of library services and resources are very important. Granted for the most part it is difficult to seamlessly integrate third party vendors within the library environment but it can be done. So in some cases having staff members with html, css, php, java script and other scripting skills allows the library to create this seamless environment.

So long way around, I think it is good skills to have.

All the best,

mies

On Mon, Feb 10, 2014 at 10:40 AM, Michelle Sawicki <sawickim@cooley.edu> wrote:

I am finishing up the Web Design/Information Management Certificate at Wayne State this semester. When I am done I will have a basic understanding of html, css, php, java script and some other scripting languages. I think it is fabulous to obtain these skills, but I am not sure how practical they will be in my upcoming positions. What Wayne State focuses on is the actual coding itself. If I were to create a library website by hand/scratch, this would be an invaluable skill. However, every library I have worked at has used an editor to create their website. There really isn't a need to keep reinventing the wheel. So I am guessing I will ultimately be using an editor too some day, if web design is a part of my future job at all. I am glad I learned scripting languages though...but how relevant will it be for my job and how long will the skills I have learned remain relevant? I don't know...

Michelle Sawicki
Circulation Team Leader
Thomas M. Cooley Law School
3475 Plymouth Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
734-372-4900 x8767

On Thu, Feb 6, 2014 at 5:14 PM, michelle wise <michellew1989@hotmail.com> wrote:

I am currently signed up to take my summer semester classes, which would finish off my MLIS degree if I stopped there. My questions are: do you have certificates with your degree, do you or did you have much experience before-hand, and does your library look at certificates OR experience more when it comes to hiring?

I am an online student at Wayne State University. The two certificates I was planning on getting are {Library Services to Children and Adults, Public} and {Information Management for Librarians-Web Design and Development}. Each certificate is basically (one semester) 4 months of effort and $4,400- is it worth it? I would love to be a Teen Librarian in a public library with some web elements.

If you wouldn't mind adding your position/Title with your comments, please do. Any recommendations would be very helpful.

Thank you,

~Michelle Wise~

_______________________________________________
Michlib-l mailing list
Michlib-l@lists.mcls.org
http://lists.mlcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/michlib-l

_______________________________________________
Michlib-l mailing list
Michlib-l@lists.mcls.org
http://lists.mlcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/michlib-l

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mies Martin

Digital Scholarship Librarian

Van Pelt and Opie Library

Michigan Technological University

Houghton, Michigan 49931

P: (906) 487-2135

C: (906) 370-3001

Email: miesmart@mtu.edu

Pax, Fortuna et Salus