Comments on: ARSL conference http://www.librarian.net/stax/2401/arsl-conference/ putting the rarin back in librarian since 1999 Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:14:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Catherine http://www.librarian.net/stax/2401/arsl-conference/comment-page-1/#comment-120345 Catherine Thu, 25 Sep 2008 23:13:34 +0000 http://www.librarian.net/?p=2401#comment-120345 Dale, thank you for pointing out that massive security hole! I was completely aghast a couple of months ago when I got a routine (unsolicited) membership renewal reminder from ALA that included my member-login-numerical-username-whatsis that ALA uses, <em>and my password</em>, right out there for God and everyone to see. Note to ALA: your member profile database includes a "password hint" field. This might be a great time to use it, maybe? It never occurred to me to write to ALA and object, however, partly because who exactly was I going to write to? So now I'm complaining about it on poor Jessamyn's blog, which is about as ineffective as writing to ALA about it, but more satisfying somehow. Dale, thank you for pointing out that massive security hole! I was completely aghast a couple of months ago when I got a routine (unsolicited) membership renewal reminder from ALA that included my member-login-numerical-username-whatsis that ALA uses, and my password, right out there for God and everyone to see.

Note to ALA: your member profile database includes a “password hint” field. This might be a great time to use it, maybe?

It never occurred to me to write to ALA and object, however, partly because who exactly was I going to write to? So now I’m complaining about it on poor Jessamyn’s blog, which is about as ineffective as writing to ALA about it, but more satisfying somehow.

]]> By: Dale http://www.librarian.net/stax/2401/arsl-conference/comment-page-1/#comment-120313 Dale Tue, 23 Sep 2008 19:21:02 +0000 http://www.librarian.net/?p=2401#comment-120313 I have one to add to your list of things not normal: it is not normal (nor wise) to send your members emails with their profile/account usernames and passwords in plain text. It's even more abnormal to write back to a member who objects to this, noting that since some librarians can't handle technology (i.e.- can't remember their passwords), it's OK to compromise the privacy of those who can. It is normal, or so I would assert, for those members to have finally had enough and leave the organization after dutifully supporting it for years. Have to agree with your comments on interface design, too. It's bad enough when a minor vendor (sorry, Follett) has bad interfaces; it's pathetic when the vendor is large and has legion large customers who pay beaucoup maintenance. Our ILS has staff clients that literally haven't been redesigned since the mid-1990s, and they weren't exactly well built then. I have one to add to your list of things not normal: it is not normal (nor wise) to send your members emails with their profile/account usernames and passwords in plain text. It’s even more abnormal to write back to a member who objects to this, noting that since some librarians can’t handle technology (i.e.- can’t remember their passwords), it’s OK to compromise the privacy of those who can. It is normal, or so I would assert, for those members to have finally had enough and leave the organization after dutifully supporting it for years.

Have to agree with your comments on interface design, too. It’s bad enough when a minor vendor (sorry, Follett) has bad interfaces; it’s pathetic when the vendor is large and has legion large customers who pay beaucoup maintenance. Our ILS has staff clients that literally haven’t been redesigned since the mid-1990s, and they weren’t exactly well built then.

]]> By: jessamyn http://www.librarian.net/stax/2401/arsl-conference/comment-page-1/#comment-120311 jessamyn Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:06:06 +0000 http://www.librarian.net/?p=2401#comment-120311 This was on the old home page and it was the "member and customer service center" link in the old footer. I don't even see a similar link on the new site, so maybe it's all okay now? This was on the old home page and it was the “member and customer service center” link in the old footer. I don’t even see a similar link on the new site, so maybe it’s all okay now?

]]> By: Jenny Levine http://www.librarian.net/stax/2401/arsl-conference/comment-page-1/#comment-120309 Jenny Levine Tue, 23 Sep 2008 05:15:29 +0000 http://www.librarian.net/?p=2401#comment-120309 Hi, Jessamyn - can you tell me which link on the home page 404ed for you? The new website went live today and it took a little while for links to rectify themselves, so I want to make sure this one got resolved. As always, we appreciate your feedback. Thanks, Jenny Hi, Jessamyn – can you tell me which link on the home page 404ed for you? The new website went live today and it took a little while for links to rectify themselves, so I want to make sure this one got resolved.

As always, we appreciate your feedback.

Thanks,
Jenny

]]> By: james fox http://www.librarian.net/stax/2401/arsl-conference/comment-page-1/#comment-120305 james fox Mon, 22 Sep 2008 19:52:34 +0000 http://www.librarian.net/?p=2401#comment-120305 good to see you keeping everyone honest... all caps... love it!. good to see you keeping everyone honest… all caps… love it!.

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