Wiki Wonk

It's the collaborative part of wikis that I really like, although I can see how using a wiki to quickly create a website can be empowering to many. I loved the Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki. What a great way for librarians to share what works with each other. The link at Technology > Free/Open Source Software contains some really useful information about how libraries are using open source software for their OPAC, for public access computers, and for staff. I could have used a wiki when I was working in the technology side of libraries and trying to work with a committee that could never find a time when everyone could meet. Our mission was to create a new technology plan for the library and I can see how setting up a wiki would have been a terrific way to gather ideas from everyone and develop a product that everyone could support. I could also see the advantage in establishing a wiki to teach customers how to log in to a library's wifi network and then inviting successful users to post tips and warn of problems they encountered. It would be a way for the customers to help each other with their real world experiences. That would be much better than users calling and emailing the tech team every time they encountered a problem. At Lincoln City Libraries, the staff uses a wiki to keep their selected website directory up-to-date. This practice spreads out the responsibility for keeping the sources current, so that customers don't encounter dead links or outdated information. Yes, I think it would be easy to become a wiki wonk.

BTW, the picture is actually of a Tiki, not a Wiki.