Date: Fri, 17 May 2002 15:21:13 -0600
From: Dan Lester <dan@riverofdata.com>
Subject: Re: IT Organization Plan (Andrea Hall)

This is fascinating.  It isn't uncommon for such mergers of all
"information technology and services" to happen these days.  They
would generally include all the types of things you list.

My observation on such things over the last dozen or so years I've
been aware of them is that there is a core of institutions where the
merger has taken place and stayed in place.  In others, it is tried
for a while and then reverts to a more traditional arrangement. It
seems that every year a few do this merger and a few break it up.

However, what is weird on this one is the idea of all of the rotation.
I'm a big fan of cross training and of staff learning all that they
can.  However, that doesn't mean that a good reference librarian will
ever become a C++ programmer, or that the programmer will ever be a
decent cataloger.  It is certainly good to learn about how the others
do their work and what they do, but I doubt that very many programmers
want to become reference librarians or vice versa.

If this actually comes about, I'll be interested in how fully the
cross training and rotation of duties actually happens, and what the
results are.  Regardless, it will take the good will and trust of all
the participants for it to be successful.

cheers

dan

Thursday, May 16, 2002, 12:50:21 PM, you wrote:

EcVE> Date: Thu, 16 May 2002 14:29:02 -0400
EcVE> From: "Hall, Andrea" <ahall@MADONNA.EDU>
EcVE> Subject: IT Organization Plan

EcVE> We are in the process of an Information Technology organizational plan
EcVE> which would merge the library with Media Services, Academic Computer
EcVE> Services, Techology Learning Services, Information Systems, and Web
EcVE> Development. The result being all team members would rotate amoung the
EcVE> various IT areas. Our director would like to know if any library has
EcVE> undergone this process and how  it is working now. What is the feelings
EcVE> among the library staff? What about the patrons? How long did it take
EcVE> from start to finish? The projected time for us is 2003-2004. What about
EcVE> cost? Were any jobs eliminated in the library as a result?
EcVE> We would appreciate any comments and opinions.
EcVE> You can send your email directly to me.

--
Dan Lester, Data Wrangler  dan@RiverOfData.com 208-283-7711
3577 East Pecan, Boise, Idaho  83716-7115 USA
www.riverofdata.com  www.gailndan.com  Stop Global Whining!