Notes on "Extremem Makeover" by David V. Loertscher

"Librarians have become pigeonholed as a result of managing library facilities and technology infrastructures. More often than not, they're treated as support personnel or slaves rather than as valued teaching partners. During Henne and Gaver's heyday, the introduction of audiovisual materials into schools created a struggle for survival between two educators with contiguous roles -- the AV guy and the library lady. Today, education technology threatens the coexistence of the media specialist and the technology coordinator in much the same way. Which one will survive?"

I'm of the mind, that librarians need to learn:
1. how to run a small 5-10 computer network
2. the basics of internet access
3. the basics of internet publishing
4. the basics of the digitization of text, sound, and images

I don't think that they should only learn these skills, and I believe that cataloging, research and patron relationship skills are the most important, but I list these because I'm surprised that they aren't among the skills that are required in many library programs.

I know that some people feel like they are fighting against the barbarian hordes of the internet and that they want to take their last stand amongst the great books and wisdom of the ages in the safe and cozy library, but I find it hypocritical that many of the same people who feel this way will learn the difficult and technical skills of book repair and preservation but are offended
if you tell them that they should also be learning the technical aspects of internet access.

As a reality check, I'll mention that I do not know the technical skills of book repair or internet access, but I am trying to learn them both because I believe that both of these skills are important skills of librarianship.