Wikis for Libraries

Citation

du Preez, M. (2011), "Wikis for Libraries", The Electronic Library, Vol. 29 No. 2, pp. 282-283. https://doi.org/10.1108/02640471111125276

Wikis are easily manipulated web sites. They are “composed of linked pages” (p. 2), reflect very little organisation and their content can be found by searching the site or using a search engine such as Google. Furthermore, wikis can be used for just about anything and are mainly used to publish information collaboratively and interactively. They can be stand‐alone web sites, “live” reference sources, or community collaboration spaces.

Because of their nature, wikis have become powerful tools for collaboration and communication. Wikipedia, an interactive encyclopaedia, is a good example of this. It was first introduced in 2001 and has steadily grown to become one of the top ten most visited web sites. Librarians were originally very concerned about the credibility of information on Wikipedia merely because of the collaborative nature of the site, the unclear authority and fluidity in content and the lack of prepublication vetting. However, they are now re‐evaluating Wikipedia especially since some of the topics provide bibliographies and good outlines to help broaden and narrow the topic. These changes have broken down the resistance against wikis as a source of information, which have increasingly become part of the mainstream internet.

But, how do wikis operate and how can librarians implement wiki technology to provide excellent service to their users? Pressley guides librarians through the process of building wikis to support special events, serve as an instruction tool, and create valuable online resources.

Before embarking on the technical details of setting up a wiki, Pressley first explains the wiki concept and discusses the benefits of using wikis in libraries. Thereafter she discusses the different elements of a wiki and takes some time off to discuss wiki culture. In chapter 2, Pressley discusses the process of planning and implementing a wiki. She offers readers practical advice on the selection of wiki software and pays some attention to the difference in locally hosted versus vendor‐hosted software. Chapter 3 focuses on the implementation of a wiki. In this chapter Pressley explains how to set up a wiki and discusses the different types of wiki implementations that could prove to be useful in various types of libraries. The following three chapters provide guidance on the marketing, maintenance and evaluation of a wiki.

This book, like the other books in the series, reads easily, and provides practical advice from an innovative librarian who “walks the walk”. This book is a must have for all librarians (and Library and Information Science faculty) interested in implementing modern communication tools in their library programmes.