Chapter 2. Design for the User, Not the Staff

Authors

  • Laura Solomon

Abstract

I was once asked to talk to a library science class at a large university about what I do and what real-world advice I might care to impart to a group of potential web librarians. One of the things I shared was the major challenges that I typically face in my job.

Being in a tech position means that keeping up is a must, and “keeping up” is a moving target. It’s a huge undertaking, and I don’t always feel like I’m conquering it. However, that’s not one of the things that raises my blood pressure. In every job, there are obstacles that one enjoys working around, and then there are those that make one want to pull one’s hair out.

Author Biography

Laura Solomon

Laura Solomon is the library services manager for the Ohio Public Library Information Network (https://oplin.ohio.gov/) and a W3C-certified front-end web developer. She has been doing web development and design for more than twenty years, both in public libraries and as an independent consultant. She specializes in developing with Drupal (https://www.drupal.org/). She is a 2010 Library Journal Mover and Shaker (https://www.libraryjournal.com/section/movers). She’s written three books (https://www.meanlaura.com/books) about social media and content marketing, specifically for libraries, and speaks nationally on both these and technology-related topics. As a former children’s librarian, she enjoys bringing the fun of technology to audiences and giving libraries the tools they need to better serve the virtual customer.

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Published

2022-04-05

Issue

Vol. 58 No. 3 (2022): April

Section

Chapters