Web Tool Review: Wikis
(Note—I’m just going to envision that I’m providing this information for my Roosevelt University Performing Arts Library co-workers).
Today’s librarians are increasingly looking for new ways to connect with patrons and each other. One of the ways libraries are now doing this is through wikis. Wikipedia defines Wikis as “a medium which can be edited by anyone with access to it, and provides an easy method for linking from one page to another.” Essentially, wikis are like websites or electronic discussion boards, but the difference is that anyone who is signed in can edit and write information on it. Many librarians have begun using wikis, from school libraries to public libraries to academic libraries. One of the best things about wikis is that they can be used by staff members or patrons on topics ranging from book discussions to updating staff procedures manuals.
Setting up a wiki is easy. One way to get it going is to install open-source software such as Mediawiki or Tikiwiki. According to Wikipedia, Mediawiki is the most popular software and will give an appearance similar to that of Wikipedia. Or you can go to a hosted “wiki farm” (defined by Wikipedia as a server that provides a hosting for a wiki) site and use software such as Wikipspaces, PBwiki or Wetpaint Wiki. I found several library wikis that used PB or Wetpaint. Once the wiki is set up, then librarians just have to get the word out! Then users can start commenting on topics, editing the pages, and creating fun discussion amongst themselves.
In order to demonstrate how wikis are currently being used, I’ve provided three examples of library wikis.
- Yale Arts Library wiki at http://yaleartslib.pbwiki.com/. This is an example of an academic library wiki, with this one being tailored to arts students. Users can view and edit information on artist copyright, library resources on the arts, scholarship info, and Yale arts faculty.
- Roosevelt University Library wiki—this is also an academic library wiki, but instead of being geared towards students and faculty, this one is just for the staff. Since Roosevelt has two different campus locations—Chicago and Schaumburg—it’s a good way for staff to keep each other informed about what’s going on in their department. The wiki includes pages for all the library committees, contains forms such as instruction session evaluations, and allows librarians to discuss various topics without having to email each other back and forth.
- Since the wiki is intended for internal use only, I prefer that the link not be made public. Instead, I’ve included a screen shot (used with permission) of one of the topics being discussed. These are some ideas were thrown around as possible library blog topics. NOTE—I’m having some trouble getting the screen shot to come up, but I was able to copy and paste some of it on here. If I can get the entire shot to come up I’ll post it.
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- Pierce County Library System (Tacoma, Washington) wiki at http://wiki.piercecountylibrary.org/?t=anon. This is an example of a public library wiki. Patrons can view the teen blog entries, discuss their favorite books and movies, and add to the ‘favorite places in the area’ list.
As a performing arts library, we can use wiki for a variety of topics. Since Roosevelt University already has a staff library wiki, it would be helpful to create one for our students and faculty. We could possibly adopt some of the same things that Yale University has used on their wiki, but tailor it for Roosevelt music and theatre students. Possible topics could include tips for music score searching, where to find course reserve lists, and helpful music and theater job and internship sites. We could also include pages for faculty on topics such as how to set up a reserve list and what laws are concerning music and theater copyright.
If you’d like to read more about wikis, there’s plenty of articles out there. One I like is Putting Wikis into Play by Michael Stephens and Rachel Singer Gorden from Computers in Libraries, volume 27 #2 February 2007, pages 42-43. The article does a good job of explaining wikis in simple terms and gives librarians helpful tips on how to get started. Another good article is An Information Skills Workout: Wikis and Collaborative Writing by Annette Lamb and Larry Johnson from Teacher Librarian, Volume 34 #5 June 2007, pages 57-59. This article explains the basic characteristics of wikis and explains how librarians can use them in the classroom to teach students to work together for writing exercises. It’s a good example of one of the unique ways wikis are used.
Happy wiki-ing!
