Amy Harrell - Trinity College Library

"Wiki" according to "Wikipedia":

A wiki ... is a group of Web pages that allows users to add content, as on an Internet forum, but also allows others (often completely unrestricted) to edit the content. The term wiki also refers to the collaborative software (wiki engine) used to create such a website (see wiki software). In essence, the wiki is a vast simplification of the process of creating HTML pages, and thus is a very effective way to exchange information through collaborative effort.

(< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki>, accessed [11/01/05].)

I. Basics:

Permits open editing of Web pages by anyone, or a restricted group of users.
No knowledge of html required.
Provides excellent collaborative opportunities.
Many wikis have additional features such as page version histories, and RSS feeds.

II. Library-focused wikis in action:

Collaborative spaces:

NEMLA directory of Music Library Collections (Seedwiki)
http://www.seedwiki.com/wiki/nemla_directory_of_music_libraries_draft/
Provides a space for a large group to update and edit documents.

Professional development:

Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki . (MediaWiki)
www.libsuccess.org
Provides a forum for exchanging workable ideas in libraries.
*See section 3.9.3 on wikis, blogs, & RSS!

Internal communication:

University of Minnesota Libraries Staff Website. (PmWiki)
http://wiki.lib.umn.edu/Staff/HomePage
Information for IT & library staff presented on a wiki.

Vanderbilt University has a similar version (PmWiki)
http://wiki.library.vanderbilt.edu/lits/pmwiki.php/Main/HomePage

Research guides:

Ohio University Libraries Biz Wiki (MediaWiki)
http://www.library.ohiou.edu/subjects/bizwiki/index.php/Main_Page
Library research guide for business presented on a wiki

Web content management:

USC Aiken Gregg-Graniteville Library (PmWiki)
http://library.usca.edu/index.php/Main/HomePage
A library has built their Web site entirely with a wiki.

Personal to-do lists:

See screen shots for colleague’s to-do list, which includes tech notes on procedures, completed tasks by the month, tasks in progress, etc.

III. Some popular wiki hosts:

Some wiki software is offered as a hosted service; other software is downloaded to your own server.

jotspot www.jot.com

Hosted for you
Free version allows for 5 ‘users’ (people who can edit the page), pricing increases from there.
Has built in email option for emailing pages to yourself or others.
Can add comments to pages rather than directly editing them.
Keeps back-up versions.
Has an optional blog feature.

seedwiki www.seedwiki.com

Hosted for you
Basic usage is free, and permits unlimited users. If you want other features, like password-protection, and advanced customization, you will need to upgrade to a paid option.
Keeps back-up versions.

MediaWiki www.mediawiki.org

Free download.
Can limit who can edit, view, etc.
Plenty of ‘skins’ and extensions to download.
Open source software.

PmWiki www.pmwiki.org

Free download – seems to be popular.
Offers ability to label pages with categories.
Built-in RSS feeds and available podcasting add-on.
Variety of ‘skins’ to choose from.