What is a wiki?

You're using a wiki right now!

A wiki is a collaborative website and authoring tool that allows users to easily add, remove and edit content. With the benefits that wikis provide the use and popularity of these tools is exploding.  WIKIS ARE COOL!!

Some of the benefits that make wikis so attractive are:

• Anyone (registered or unregistered, if unrestricted) can add, edit or delete content.
• Tracking tools within wikis allow you to easily keep up on what been changed and by whom.
• Earlier versions of a page can be viewed and reinstated when needed.
• And users do not need to know HTML in order to apply styles to text or add and edit content. In most cases simple syntax structure is used.

Enjoy  Wikis in Plain English, a Commoncraft Show on YouTube

Find out more about wikis:

Wiki, wiki, wiki - from PLCMC's own Core Compentency blog

What is a Wiki? – Library Success wiki presentation

Using Wikis to Create Online Communities – a good overview of what a wiki is and how it can be used in libraries

What are some examples of wikis?  

Libraries across the country are embracing wikis for many different applications 

• Collaborative workspace for staffing working on a large project
• As a subject guide for complex topics
• As a FAQ site for difficult research questions in a library
• To share book reviews
• To record and share meeting/conference proceedings
• As easily update policy/procedure manuals

	the online open-community encyclopedia, is the largest and perhaps the most well known of these knowledge sharing tools, search for "Connecticut State Library"
	Grand Rapids Public LIbrary's wiki
	Libsuccess, a collaborative space for librarians to share success stories including staff manuals, subject guides, and project management
	Developed by Colorado College to provide links to "all sorts of government information"
	Developed by Princeton Public Library to conduct a summer reading program for adults
	Examples of wikis used for collaboration between library staff
	University of Connecticut Libraries Staff wiki

How are we using wikis at the State Library

The reference librarians have compiled the Uncommon Knowledge wiki on our intranet which includes frequently asked, or difficult to answer reference questions.  Keyword searchable!  On the frontpage of that wiki, there's a list of the different ways you can search it, so have fun exploring.

 Learning Activities

1. Check out the results of the Survey from Week 1.

2. For this discovery exercise, take a look at some library wikis above and add comments at the bottom of this page about your findings.   What did you find interesting? What types of applications within libraries might work well with a wiki? What other ways could we use wikis in the State Library?

3. "Sandbox" is the term that wikis often use to describe the area of the website that should be used for pure play. We’ve set up a Favorites Sandbox so we can learn wiki skills by playing. Go ahead and add your favorite books, favorite vacation spots, favorite restaruants, favorite TV shows, favorite animals...all you need to do is play, practice, and share your thoughts.  Go to the Favorites Sandbox and all the instructions you need to get going are right there. 

Extra Credit

Want to set up your own wiki?  Try one of these tools.  We'd love to hear your comments.  

 Resources:  PB Wiki Tips

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