Thing: 16: Wikis

Wikis:
Collaborative, Communitarian, Distributed, Informative, Easy!

At the beginning of 2007, I talked with some of my staff about ideas for the new year. One proposal I offered was the creation of a community wiki focusing on the history of our immediate service area, which is unincorporated but has defined geographical boundaries. We thought we could begin posting titles of books and pamphlets in the library collection that are used when answering local history questions. FAQs and pointers to websites would be added along with some non-copyrighted text passages from other online sources. Questions we could never completely answer, such as "Was there a golf course at XYZ intersection?" would be added, along with replies from community people who can add their knowledge. The wiki content would still be under staff editing control but it would provide information with the solicitation for everyone to "help grow it" collaboratively. And of course we reserve the right to change the process depending on the successes and failures experienced along the way. Ultimately it would be nice envisioning a transformation into a community wiki as described by Meredith Farkas.

In fact this project didn't make it beyond our discussions, but now that more of us have exploredwWikis, I'll revive the idea. Staff who were not involved in the initial conversations BUT who have completed the "23 Things" can participate and support the project now too! And the more help we have, the better we can support updates and maintenance. There is something really gratifying about seeing work product out there on the Internet where others can add, suggest, criticize, discuss--whatever. The project will succeed and I feel energized!

After looking at the wiki products of other public libraries, I am more inspired to do this. The potential to publicize information and help our knowledge base grow is there but as so often happens, other work-related tasks with higher priorities alter plans and expectations.

I have used other St. Joseph's Co PL resources before and they consistently set a high standard in their products. I explored the section on Business,as in the 1980s our Central library had a reputation for being an excellent business information resource and I worked in that area. Their wiki is like a combination of service desk FAQs, recommended reading and pathfinders, only with the advantages of being available 24/7 in or out of the building. That some links lead to live forms or other online tools is efficient! It's the paper based approach converted to live Internet format.

I was already familiar with Chad Boeninger's Biz Wiki at Ohio University from his presentations at "Computers in Libraries" over the past two years. I only wish that I had more occasion to use it OTJ as it's a polished comprehensive and very informative resource.

One basic question still--how do you actually start a wiki--who hosts it and is it free??? Is it as easy as starting a blog.........Apparently so unless I missed some small type at pbwiki.com.....