Using a wiki for public FAQs
March 15, 2008
An email from Anna Creech some time ago (I can haz a slooow responz timez) pointed me to a project her library (the Boatwright Memorial Library at the University of Richmond) is doing: a public wiki of FAQs called "How Do I?…Library FAQs.". Even cuter, it’s nicknamed Boatipedia. As Anna wrote to me, not many public libraries have used wikis in this way, and I think it is a stellar idea. Take a look and see if it would make sense to do something similar for your library! Wikis are one of the easiest things to set up and to edit, making them attractive for all staff. Take a look and see if it would make sense to do something similar for your library!
March 16th, 2008 at 4:25 am
This looks great. Do you know of other academic libraries doing anything similar?
March 16th, 2008 at 8:55 am
I don’t, but maybe someone else does. Readers?
March 16th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
Dear readers- I am both a librarian and an employee of PBwiki (www.pbwiki.com). I’m actually hosting a webinar on April 8th on this very topic. You can check out the webinar signup here: https://educators.pbwiki.com/PBwiki+1st+Educator+Meeting
I’ve also built up a whole series of templates for using wikis in libraries that you can very at this site. I hope this helps- and that you can come to the meeting!
-Rachel
March 17th, 2008 at 8:42 am
Wow, that’s fabulous Rachel! Thank you for sharing the information about your upcoming class!
March 18th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Hi all,
Speaking as the wiki-installer
– We came up with this idea as our FAQs weren’t being used and difficult to search. So we’re now testing MediaWiki to host our FAQs in the hopes that more library staff will add and update as well as provide our users with a way to comment and provide feedback. I’d really like to talk with anyone else who’s interested in this concept!
Thanks – Andy Morton – emerging.web.technologies.librarian
March 18th, 2008 at 11:51 am
Actually, what I wrote was, “I’ve heard of libraries using wikis for internal documents, but I haven’t seen/heard of many using them on the public side.” I’m sure there are plenty of public libraries using wikis.
March 18th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
When I said “not many public libraries have used wikis in this way” that’s what I meant, but thank you for making that clearer.
March 24th, 2008 at 4:24 am
I wasn’t referring to a type of library in my original statement. I was referring to the internal/private nature of most library wikis, as opposed to a public wiki that anyone can see. I’m still not sure that you understand that, since it’s very different from implying that few public libraries are using wikis in this way. I work in an academic library, and except for one brief stint as a page, I’ve never worked in a public library, so I’m certainly no expert on what they are and are not doing.
March 24th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
It would appear that I didn’t understand, but I am really glad you explained it all!