Thing 12

Wikis look like a great tool - both for libraries, and if the Common Craft video is any indication, for personal use too. I loved all the sample library wikis Neflin posted. A wiki of book reviews for the summer reading program!? Brilliant! I was also very impressed by the best library practices wiki. I checked out the articles on gaming and I think I'm finally starting to warm up to the idea. Some libraries actually check out games, but the point is more to draw people in to the library - especially young people.

The subject pathfinder wiki was very well organized and useful, but perhaps not quite as suited to be a wiki, since only staff members can edit it. The coolest feature of wikis is their editability. I guess the idea is, the more people that contribute information to the subject, the better it will be - provided there is a reasonable filter to keep out the mal-intentioned. I think that's why wikipedia is so popular. The average person is more drawn to information supplied by folks just like them, rather than some private party that may have a hidden agenda.

Here at my library, we are working on a wiki for local information - formerly known as the rolodex. It will supply answers to questions that google just isn't good for, like where are public notaries, free yoga classes, or public art exhibits. This kind of information is best supplied by the community that houses it - and that's just what a wiki is for.