Learning To Work With Wikis

Ever wonder how Wikis work?  How can they serve libraries? Library Technology Reports “Wikis”  Part 1: Wikis & Libraries, July –August 2006. Wikis addresses these questions and more. I found it to be a  good article to read if you have never created a wiki or participated in adding or editing wikis. In truth, I always wondered how I could be able to add or edit one.  Through this course, and after reading this article I have learned that there are many reasons to engage in creating or being part of the collaborative team that works in creating and maintaining a wiki page.  The word Wiki comes from “Quick” in Hawaiian. The meaning of Wiki for the web interface is more about how easy you access and collaborate with it online. The article makes a case for Wiki on how it can benefit librarians. It offers librarian’s different scenarios to consider for its use.  

The article provides sites where you can start a wiki within minutes.  You can also consider an open source option for installing the software into your library server (of course, please get approval from your administration since there may be someone in staff responsible like a webpage manager). I liked the many options for the use of a wiki presented in this article and as a future librarian they seemed useful. For example: a library may want to consider listing resources available at their library; consider also using a wiki as a subject guide that can be used by both librarians and patrons, they can also use it to provide an overview about the library programs and services and even about the library’s history. 

In my view the best idea is as a training resource, librarians could work together collaboratively to create a research best practice outline or share with other librarians their many resources on the wiki . So, there are many possible uses for a wiki. Many University libraries and schools are considering using wikis as teaching resource site, they have links to their course curriculum, is also a great site for students to create their academic portfolio and in this same way University libraries are using MediaWiki as there preferred wiki webpage to provide students with links to articles, materials and other source information of importance for students.  

Several important points mentioned to consider before creating a wiki were:

·         Have specific goals and objectives to achieve with the wiki

·         Ask the question “what is the goal of this wiki?

·         Who will be collaborating in this wiki?

·         Appoint a wiki monitor

One last best practice advice mentioned is to be proactive with monitoring the changes made to your wiki. Now, what are you waiting for be proactive and start one! I know I will.