WebJunction

Use these questions to help you think through your technology support staff needs. Do you have a system administrator on staff?

If you have a system administrator:

• How many hours does your system administrator work per week? Do they have too much to do? Do you feel like they can handle most of what needs to be done?

• Do they answer questions easily and clearly?

• Do they train staff individually or do they organize group trainings?

• Do they keep a network log or other records of the computer system?

• Is there a person on staff in addition to the system manager who can handle essential computer tasks if necessary?

If you do not have a system administrator:

• Are your existing technology support systems adequate? Do you have a need for a system administrator?

• What is your potential budget for technology support? Can you fundraise to augment this budget? Remember that approximately 70 percent of technology spending should go to support and training.

• On average, how many hours does your library dedicate to the following each month?

• • Computer maintenance

  • Printer maintenance

  • Software troubleshooting

  • Network administration

• Who does this work? Is it a part of their assigned tasks?

• Is anyone in charge of computer training at your library? Is there a need for such a person?

• Can you afford to hire a consultant to help you fix or upgrade your computers?

• Is a volunteer consultant available to help you fix or upgrade your computers?