Thing #9 -Wiki Wiki!

The Wikipedia is probably the most well-known wiki due to the controversy it has engendered in the media and within the library community. Controversy is not inherent to wikis, though. They can be used for sharing institutional information, collaborating on shared projects, documentation, etc.

Objectives:

• Learn about wikis.
• Consider the implications of the Wikipedia and how its existence changes the way we think about information.
  

Learning Activities:

Edit a page in the Wikipedia (you can always change it back.) Wikipedia editing instructions.
Read the following articles about wikis:

• http://techessence.info/socialsoftware/wiki
• http://www.newsobserver.com/128/story/1055062.html

Check out the Library Success Wiki
Optional: create your own wiki using pbwiki (it’s free!)

In a blog entry, discuss how you think a wiki could be successfully implemented in the workplace. What impact do you think the Wikipedia has had on libraries and/or information seeking in general? Is that impact positive, negative or a bit of both? Why?

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