Proposal for Implementation: "Library's 50th Anniversary Wiki"

Josalyn Gervasio, Adult Reference Librarian, Guilderland Public Library

 

    1. Proposal for Implementation: "Library's 50th Anniversary Wiki"
    2. Josalyn Gervasio, Adult Reference Librarian, Guilderland Public Library
  1. Intro/Background 
  2. Technology 
  3. Service 
  4. Evidence
  5. Possible Roadblocks
  6. Solutions
  7. Software Suggestion 
  8. Maintenance/Policy

 

Intro/Background 

This proposal is the final project for the Five Weeks to a Social Library online course. The intent of the final project is to write a proposal to implement one of the social software tools covered during the Five Weeks to a Social Library Project at our library.

 

Technology 

The technology that I am proposing that our library implements for this project is a wiki. A wiki is a Web site that allows collaborative authoring. It is an open shared space that enables a group of people to work together on building a Web site. Contribution to a wiki requires little to no HTML or programming knowledge. Typically, anyone can add, remove, or change the site's content in a matter of minutes. This concept of express editing is how Ward Cunningham actually chose the name wiki. According to Cunningham, "I chose wiki-wiki as an alliterative subsitute for 'quick' and thereby avoided naming this stuff quick-web." "Wiki-Wiki" is a reduplication of "wiki", a Hawaiian-language word for fast." See: Wiki History. Probably the most recognizable and well-known public wiki is Wikipedia.

 

Service 

In conjuction with the Library's 50th Anniversary Celebration, I propose that we implement a wiki for effective project planning, as well as designing a space that will serve our online community. This wiki can be used for internal and community purposes. It is possible to password protect the internal wiki pages to only be used by the "Growing for Generations" Committee.

 

That said, here are some specific examples how our Library can dive into the wiki world: 

Project Planning (Internal Wiki) Staff

  • Keep all notes on this wiki! Use this wiki to upload images and attachments. Free up your computer - store all project related materials on this wiki.
  • Add a project calendar for meeting reminders, program events, project deadlines, and the celebration schedule.
  • Stay connected through this wiki - no need to send thousands of emails.
  • Accessibilty - access this wiki from anywhere that has Internet access.
  • Categorize information/resouces for each era. Possibly create individual wiki pages - 1957, 1967, 1977, 1987, 1997, and the Future.
  • Include a forum to discuss project details. 
  • Incorporate community contributors/vender involvement. 
  • Place to promote the program - publicity, announcements, etc.
  • Archive this project and all related information.
  • Build a shared resource.

 

Library's 50th Anniversary Wiki (Community Wiki) Patrons

  • Online social center of all information related to the Library's 50th Anniversary Celebration.
  • Preserving community memories.
  • Opportunity for patrons to explore and contribute personal family local history.
  • Allows access to technology that meets informational, educational and recreational needs.
  • Support successful use of this wiki to community members. Librarians will conduct laptop training sessions for patrons to contribute to this wiki. 
  • Add future predictions of the Library. Elementary school children contribute thier predictions for the future using this wiki. 
  • Use this wiki for program registration.
  • Engage in discussions with community members. "Wow - Leave It to Beaver, first aired in 1957, the same year our Library was chartered!"

 

Evidence

Here are a few examples of libraries or association's that have successfully implemented wikis. 

 

  1. Joseph County Public Library's Subject Guides

    A wiki for library research study guides. It presents an exceptional example of a featured guide, our Library could use this as a model for project collection details for each time period. 

     

  2. Stevens County Rural Library District

    A wiki project that consists of library informational resouces and includes recreational activities. This demonstrates a project wiki that is composed of specific community categories.

     

  3. YALSA's 50th Anniversary Wiki Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)

    Wow, a wiki that is similar to this project! A wiki that is used to celebrate 50 years of library services dedicated to teens. Provides examples resembling components for this proposal - Community Portal.

 

Model wiki projects:

 

  1. International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP) 

    A wiki used for a virtual library of music scores that are available in the public domain. It also contains scores free of charge from composers who are willing to share. Provides an excellent structural example for project coordination.

     

  2. ALA Midwinter 2007 Seattle wiki 

    A wiki created for the Midwinter Meeting that was held in Seattle, WA. This demonstrates how a wiki is an excellent tool to promote an event as well as a guide. Another brilliant example of this is the ALA Chicago 2005 Unofficial Wiki. 

     

  3. ZoomLab wiki (Kids Connect)

    A wiki that is devoted to organizing collaborative performances and workshops for young people in various locations. Provides a cohesive model for young people contributing to a wiki.  

 

Online and Database Articles:

 

  1. Farkas, Meredith. Using Wikis to Create Online Communities. WebJunction. September 1, 2005.

    Explains the evolution of web design leading to wiki implementation that creates true online communities.

     

  2. Terdiman, Daniel. How wikis are changing our view of the world. CNET. November 15, 2005. 

    Describes wiki history and its growth into a dynamic format to fit the fast paced world in which we live.

     

  3. Gordon, R.S., & Stephen, M. (Feb2007). "Putting Wikis into Play" Computers in Libraries. 27(2), 42-43.

    This article presents tips for librarians implementing wikis into libraries and getting started ideas.

 

 

Possible Roadblocks

  • Wikis have a slightly steeper learning curve than other social software tools.
  • Some staff may be apprehensive about a tool that allows open editing.
  • Assembling a project team that uses the wiki on a regular basis.
  • Concern of customizing a wiki to create an unrecogonizable transition into our Web site.
  • Community awareness of this wiki project.
  • Getting Administration, Board of Trustee, Technology Specialist and Staff to buy into a new technology.   

 

Solutions

  • Practice & Play: provide in-service training for staff to develop wiki skills. Create a practice wiki, have each staff member build a page and share thier favorite recipes. This activity will get staff involved, possibly provide meal ideas and assist in realizing how easy it is to edit a wiki!  
  • Wiki Structure: explain history recovery, page locking (password), spam protection, but most of all trust in creating a rich, collaborative, and community space.
  • Boss on Board: convince Supervisors that contributing to this wiki is part of ongoing work duties.
  • Looking Good: purchase added features or software to create a wiki that looks like the rest of our web site.
  • Show Off: promote this wiki along with the program (press release, newsletter, web site, etc.). Set up laptop "Memory Stations" in the library and librarians can show patrons how to contribute to this wiki.
  • Hope You All Agree: importance of providing a service for patrons that is beyond the library walls and build a creative space where online users feel like they belong to.         

 

Software Suggestion 

I suggest using a hosted wiki such as PBwiki for the first stage of this project. It is free, 10MB storage space, user friendly, provides backup ability, and capable of easy add plugins. As the project evolves, we may want to look into purchasing wiki software that we host on our own server like MediaWiki. This will allow us to customize the wiki, store information on our server and remove unwanted ads. MediaWiki is easy to install and recoginizable. However, as you can see through this proposal, PBwiki is extremely capable of providing our library with the software needed to design a creative community space for free!  

 

Maintenance/Policy

Before implementing this software, the Committee will create wiki user guidelines and a comment policy for internal and community review. A plan for ongoing maintenance for this project will extend beyond this program. It is my hope this project wiki will become a vital asset to the community and have a significant impact on the lives of its residents. This implementation should be viewed as a roadmap pointing in the direction for future library growth and development.

 


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