A while ago I sent out a LIS-LINK query about the migration of library user
guides to the Web, and what this meant in terms of subject librarians'
"ownership" of user documentation. If people other than subject librarians
are the ones who can write HTML, does this imply a risk of their losing
control of the updating and therefore to some extent of the content of the
guides?
Apologies for not collating and circulating replies till now, but here,
belatedly, is the response.

12 replies were received, from both new and old Universities.

In 6 of these organisations, subject librarians had sole responsibility
for user guides on the Web, both for the content of the guides and for
preparing them, using HTML or various Web authoring packages, to be placed
on the Web. The job of actually putting them up, however, was usually that
of the Webmaster or Web co-ordinator. In some cases the Web manager or
co-ordinator had previously been a subject librarian. Several organisations
had made sure that all their subject librarians were trained in Web writing
to prepare them for their role with regard to the guides; Microsoft
Frontpage was specifically mentioned as a user-friendly package which had
made Web writing and associated training easier. Librarian-friendly IT
support was also mentioned as an important factor in the success of this
pattern of provision.

In 4 organisations, the subject librarians were responsible for the content
of the guides but didn't actually do the HTML writing. In one case the
Associate Librarian physically updated the Web pages, in another it was the
Web co-ordinator, in a third it was a Library Assistant, who was the only
person who knew HTML (although it wasn't an official part of his role and
wasn't recognised in his grading!) The 4th library didn't specify whose job
it was. One of these libraries commented that they thought it would really
be better for the subject librarians to do the HTML writing.

In 2 organisations, a mixture of both these patterns prevailed.
In one, the task of maintaining the guides (which were updated on a monthly
basis) was the responsibility of subject teams, who could also decide what
approach to take. In some teams, HTML writing was delegated to Information
Assistants; in others, subject librarians considered the physical updating
of the guides to be an important part of their role, and did the whole
thing themselves.
In the other, a relatively small organisation, an informal approach was
taken; those subject librarians who could write HTML put up their own
guides, taught those who couldn't yet do it to do so, and in some cases
did it for them.

Thanks to everyone who responded - hope this summary is helpful to someone
somewhere!
Eileen
 
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Eileen Tilley Tel 01248 351151 x 2918 [log in to unmask]


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