Library and Information Science Graduate Takes on Web Design

Dec. 12, 2009 - PRLog -- Raymond Dean, a graduate of San Jose State University's MLIS program, has taken his background in library science to the world of web design. Founder of Digital Stax Web Design, he emphasizes that library science is not just about libraries.

"Most people are not aware of what library science entails and the fact that I'm a web designer often surprises them," Dean says. Library Science is a discipline that combines several areas of study including information technology. "Library science is foremost about the organization of information and providing access to that information," Dean says. "I took several web development classes in my MLIS program and it is entirely relevant to this field of study."

Dean says that the education he received in the areas of information organization, usability, and quality evaluation are especially helpful as a web designer. "As a web designer, you are essentially creating a library of information in electronic format. It has to be organized in a fashion that facilitates a pleasant user experience. It also needs to be built with the users in mind. The courses I took at SJSU were invaluable in this area."

He also says that the research skills he learned in the program were crucial. "Web design is a field that changes almost on a daily basis. You have to continually conduct research to stay on top of the latest developments. I learn new things about web design every day and this is possible because I learned the best ways to find the information I need."

While Dean has primarily served local customers in Springfield, Missouri as owner of Digital Stax Web Design, he now looks to branch out to a worldwide audience with the launch of The Website Creator (TheWebsiteCreator.com). "The Website Creator is a really exciting idea that we came up with. It provides an easy-to-use interface for web design clients to upload the content for their websites, pick out a design, and communicate with their web designer. It makes it easier for us to take on clients anywhere in the world."

He says that, along with his education in the core areas of library science, he also learned web development skills during his library science education that proved worthwhile. "I actually completed a course in PHP at San Jose. It really is great that they offer such a diverse selection of courses there. It provided me with the skills that I needed to take my web design skills to the next level. I use both the theoretical and technical skills that I learned in my library science program on a daily basis."

Dean says that The Website Creator is particularly appealing to small business owners and nonprofit organizations. "The most popular aspect of The Website Creator is the web consulting service. Every customer has a personal discussion board where they can ask any kind of question about web design or anything else web-related. It is like having an in-house web expert for just a few bucks a month."

In addition to the web consulting service, he says that customers are pleased that all of these services necessary for creating a website are bundled into one service. "We provide website design, web hosting, domain registration, and web consulting all together for a cheap price. We're finding that this is a perfect solution for small business owners and nonprofit organizations. It makes it easier for them and it fits their budgets."

His degree in library science has proven valuable for his work at Digital Stax Web Design and with the launch of The Website Creator, but he says that he can still envision himself working in a library someday. "I love the ideas and values that libraries represent. Information equality and the role of being a responsible gatekeeper of information are important concepts to me. There's probably no other place that represents these ideas better than the library. Who knows what the future holds?"

Whether it be in the library or typing away on his laptop working on the next web application, the foundations of library science are moving Dean into what he hopes to be a successful future. As he moves on to his new "The Website Creator" project, he looks back and is thankful for his library science studies.

"I don't think there is any other field of study that would have better prepared me for my career. Sure, I could have studied web design in a formal setting, but the technical stuff is easy to learn. It was the theories and concepts of library science that truly shaped my outlook. It provided the foundational knowledge in usability, user experiences, information organization and retrieval, and so many other areas that have made all of this possible."

http://www.thewebsitecreator.com

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The Website Creator allows you to create a professional website at an affordable cost. We provide domain name registration, hosting and on-going web support.