wiki

Blogging for these past twelve weeks has been an interesting experience. I like how hyperlinks in a blog allow me to write for an informed audience, while providing links to background material for those new to a topic. Libraries can use blogs to inform patrons about upcoming events, services, highlight collections and answer user questions. Because blogs are a bilateral communications tool they encourage patron participation, accountability, and transparency more than one-way news releases.

Scenario Our scenario is that we represent a small library that has seen its patronage decrease over the past few years. A recent survey has indicated patrons are unaware of the material available at the library. The head librarian has asked our group to develop a site using web 2.0 media sharing tools showcasing the library’s collection and services. 

  This week's case studies demonstrate many potential uses for wikis and the diverse ways in which they can be implemented. Of the case studies this week, I was most impressed by those that greeted users with a functional main page.

My Thoughts 

I'll admit first thing that the extent of knowledge of wikis lies in the might Wikipedia.  Even then, I vaguely knew that anyone in the global community could edit a page.  I had imagined a team working the wee night hours in nowhere land doing all the work for us.  Farkas reading however clearned up a lot of my misconceptions--or lack thereof--of wikis.  

Wiki to wikis

Wikis are a common collaborative tool; its WYSIWYG interface allows users to create and edit content with ease. Because of this ease of use, they have attracted both praise and concern from librarians.

Wikipedia

Bull Run Library:

I really liked this library's use of a wiki both in terms of style and in terms of how and why they were using a wiki. It was very up to date and clean I think this would be a very good model for most libraries.

Wow week six already, half way there ish by my estimate. I think it's finally cooled down enough that I can write without fear of my computer exploding and or dying some heat related death...

Hello everyone! I'm on a co-op term in Ottawa this summer and hope that this course will lend me a hand at work. One of my projects this summer is to help develop a wiki for this particular library and I don't have much experience with the majority of social software.

I'm afraid to admit that social software is largely new territory for me. This is my first blog ever and all of the tools that we will be learning about in 9763 are pretty much new to me -- especially the creation aspect to this software.