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• librarianship is a female-dominated profession; IT is a male-dominated profession;
• libraries have a long tradition; IT is the “new kid on the block;”
• libraries are mission-oriented; IT is task-oriented;
• IT departments are about access; libraries focus on bringing meaning to the access;
• librarians are often tied to academic faculties; IT staff often are not tied as closely to the faculties;

and similarities:

• these are two of the three industries in which customers or clients are referred to as “users”;
• both have issues with people skills;
• both have a constantly changing work environment; technology is at the root of a lot of the change;
• both have uncertainty about the future of their organizations, and this may be at the root of the rift between the two departments;
• there is resistance to change found in the two groups;
• “both groups are throwing things out there to see what sticks;”
• members of both departments feel like they are “second class citizens” inside their organizations.

As a librarian, some of this is difficult to hear. Carlson and Arbogast put this list together in consultation with a number of other people. They did not come up with any suggestions for resolving difficulties between the two departments, however.

What is your take–are there ways we can all get along better?

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