Good point -- it would not be an census. I can't envision how we would do a census on such a large and diverse group. Perhaps others have thought about this and have suggestions.
Peter On Nov 27, 2012, at 12:20 PM, Karen Coyle <li...@kcoyle.net> wrote: > Peter, > > again I worry about this being self-selecting. People who report on > surveys are .... the people who report on surveys. A code4lib survey > would be nice, but I'm really interested in "on the ground" troops. And > I think the questions would have to be specific to what one does: > > - installs and fixes equipment > - runs updates/backups on ILS > - writes scripts > - writes code > - manages local network > - modifies ILS tables for local customization > - creates web pages > - makes decisions on tech purchasing > - supervises staff that runs ILS/local network > > Well, that's probably a stupid list, but a smarter list could be made. > In other words, I would want what you actually do to define whether you > are a techie -- not whether you consider yourself a techie (many women > demean their own skills -- "Oh, I just push a few buttons"). [1] I'd > like to see it be very broad, and later we can decide if we think > modifying ILS tables counts as being a "real techie." > > kc > [1] For painful reading: http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/28257411 The > letters of Ada Lovelace. > > > On 11/27/12 8:50 AM, Peter Murray wrote: >> A friend of mine is one of the principals behind "The Survey for People Who >> Make Websites" from A List Apart: >> >> http://aneventapart.com/alasurvey2011/00.html >> >> Is that the sort of thing we'd like to do? If so, I can get some insights >> from him about how he develops, organizes, and runs the survey. >> >> >> Peter >> >> On Nov 27, 2012, at 11:23 AM, Karen Coyle <li...@kcoyle.net> wrote: >>> I would really like to see such a survey. I did one at my previous place >>> of work, the California Digital Library (nee Division of Library >>> Automation) where I worked for over 20 years. I had kept org charts and >>> phone lists, and was able to see that over that span of two decades the >>> tech staff (which was most everyone there since all we did was tech >>> development) was from 2/3 to 3/4 female. But when I said this in front >>> of a group of employees the men were startled. I'm guessing that they >>> saw themselves as techies, and the women as "helpers" -- even though the >>> DBA, the data designers, and many of the programmers were women. So it's >>> not that there aren't women in technology, it's that the women in >>> technology are often considered to be "not doing technology" because >>> they are women. [1] >>> >>> So we should survey. I believe that we will find that in library >>> technology departments there are many "invisible" women. Sadly, women >>> will be more present in that environment for the wrong reasons -- mainly >>> that it's lower paying and that men are more likely to get the higher >>> paying industry jobs. (The University of California overall staff ratio >>> is 65% female -- as perhaps many government agencies are.) >>> >>> kc >>> [1] Must read: Joanna Russ. How to suppress women's writing. >>> http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/9392874 It's about writing but actually >>> pertains to all activities. >>> >>> >>> On 11/27/12 6:57 AM, Rosalyn Metz wrote: >>>> I think first we would need to do a survey of how many women are in the >>>> community. if it turns out that this community is only 17% women then >>>> we're on target. who knows, maybe we're actually 10% women and we're way >>>> above target. in which case the real question might be "how do we get more >>>> women in tech." >>>> >>>> >>>> On Tue, Nov 27, 2012 at 9:11 AM, Chad Nelson <chadbnel...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Ooops. Hit the wrong key. >>>>> >>>>> So, about our presenters... >>>>> >>>>> Is it a problem that only 4 of our 33 presenters are women? Or that only >>>>> 16 >>>>> of 95 proposers were women? >>>>> >>>>> Is there something this community needs to do to encourage more women to >>>>> feel like they can and should speak / propose sessions? -- Peter Murray Assistant Director, Technology Services Development LYRASIS peter.mur...@lyrasis.org +1 678-235-2955 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 800.999.8558 Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org LYRASIS: Great Libraries. Strong Communities. Innovative Answers.