Posted October 28, 2016
Tobias Brasier, MLIS, 1994, is the director of web services for the University of
South Carolina School of Law. He is passionate about web redesign and is putting his
degree to use through a variety of projects for the law school and the Coleman Karesh
Law Library. Through his many endeavors, Brasier illustrates just how versatile an
MLIS can be.
What do you do in your current job?
As much as possible, I focus on the server-side aspects of web services. This involves
editing web pages as needed, administering multiple Wordpress installations and the
law library's proxy server, and consulting with law school colleagues and students
on how the web might assist them in achieving their goals.
What’s the most interesting or significant thing you’ve done since graduating?
Over the past 20 years, I've been involved in a few projects of which I'm proud. Two
older projects are: (the now mostly superseded) USC Map, which really was quite innovative
for its time; and the Model Editions Partnership, a large collection of works and
papers of American historic interest, written in SGML and converted on-the-fly to
HTML. A bit more recently, I created the website for a physical exhibit at the law
library, A Nineteenth Century Law Library: The Colcock-Hutson Collection.
What are you passionate about in your work?
I’m most passionate about working on large scale web redesign projects and the interactions
I have with people when working with them. An excellent example is the redesign of
our law library website, where I worked extensively with the library committee assigned
to the project.
What did you learn while in school at the CIC that still resonates today?
My role is not (directly) a library role, and I can't name a specific technical skill
I learned that stays with me. But over time, I've found it is the notion of working
together.
Do you have a favorite professor or a favorite memory from your time at the CIC?
John Olsgaard: tough and fair.
Is there anything I haven’t asked that you want to share?
Professionally, I'd be remiss if I did not mention the School of Law's upcoming move
to the new building; this building will be a showcase for technology. Personally,
I'm very active in my parish, the Church of the Apostles (Anglican Church in North
America) in downtown Columbia.