There are some things the human race doesn't know... For everything else there is wikipedia.

Wiki's and blogs have been an amazing revolution in changing the news industry and whistle blowing world wide. The title of my blog pulls from one of the most recent and well known events in Wiki history the Wiki Leaks scandal with Julian Assange. However lets step back from the political and news conterversay that have come to define Wiki's in recent months and look at them as what they are in context. A tool of social media.

The key to a Wiki is colaberative effort.  On a large scale library there is, in theory, a good use for wiki's and they present the exciting idea of like minded individuals working with each other to build a knowledge base. However let me be the cynic in saying smaller libraries likely don't need the functionality. The focus on wiki's has been internal use in many of the examples I've come across and for small scale libraries I just can't put my finger on an applicable use that can't be handed better by other types of media available.

For small libraries you have to look at what areas you have that would be dynamic enough to warrant a group colaberation on a constant level. Wikis tend to require a little more attention to ensure the information stays on track and accurate and you have to have someone devote that time. For a small library do procedures or anything for that matter change enough to require that level of functionality and attention? I lean toward the side of "No" in answer. I offer the alternative "throw back" technology of message boards (yah remember them?) as an alternative if you are looking for group feedback or input. It leaves you central control and is key word, or post date searchable. The alternative is just make sure you keep your web page content (be it public facing or an internal tutorial page) CURRENT AND UP TO DATE then you won't need a lot of people making additions an corrections to things.

For the small library a wiki's might just be over digitization. Most of the functions it provides should be done on a personal interaction level, such as meetings with coworkers, groups and clubs. We still need to interact with our coworkers in this day and age and we still need to encourage people to actually show up at the library if you have an awesome garden club wiki and blog going on... there is the possibility people will actually stop coming to garden club... especially when it's -40 in Manitoba winter and they have to drive in the snow or ride the bus to visit the library after all who is planting in winter anyway right?

On the larger context of an academic library wiki's have the potential of working. Mostly on an internal level where searching stratagy, tips of use on new software, constantly changing or updating occurs and people are "figuring things out as they go along" The potential for student Wiki's is a grand concept... but good luck generating the interest. You can use a wiki for the layout but honestly a locked tutorial websites with a comments section will in many cases suit your needs and the needs of the students better.

Example would be a tutorial on how to log in and use the library data base. You set up a message board tutorial and post the URL on the public access computers for student use. The users go to the page and see a list on instructions. Your post and instructions are locked in and can not be changed it will always appear at the top of the board. Comment from users can be made below Student101 Comments: I notice that the ? can't be used when searching the database but * works. Student202 Comment: I Found that is is difficult to search items that contain the word "the" in them is there a better way to do this? Student313 Comments: Poop.  When you log in you can update the top post which is the tutorial on how to use the data base to include truncation. You can answer student202's question directly by responding to their post or directing them to a section in the tutorial. Once you have answered other students can use the message board search function to look up that answer in they have a similar question, and you can delete student313's comment without it effecting any other information. Message board also have the same notification and feed capabilities as wiki's. Yah yah I know the name isn't as cool but Microsoft still uses them for their technical forum so there is still something to the technology and the functionality and control is less... shall we say... erratic.

When it comes to wiki's anyone who has punched in anything to google has at some point ended up on a Wikipedia page and they are the absolute hub of news in this day and age, they make blogs look old fashioned in what they are capable of doing. I use them as a resource but from personal exerience my company uses internal websites and locked social network sites for communication... it basically has the same functionality of a wiki but the control is a little more defined with out having to go through the whole "who has access to exactly what" break down of a wiki, the information in our company is fairly dynamic but not every level of person in the company needs the same function of use and we don't have a large pool of information that requires a large searchable database. A searchable "FAQ" page with an attached comment section pretty much does the trick and keeps a tighter lid on misinformation.

It's been interesting exploring the functionality of different Wiki's. Wikia clearly has the social media marketable "wow" factor going on and I'm pretty sure BaconWiki just changed my life (or shortened it), but it certainly doesn't seem to have the security of it's more professional counterparts. However the function to be able to tie in twitter feeds and other forms of social networks is with out a doubt it's most awesome asset and an excellent tool for generating traffic to the site as well. Wikia has an amazing GUI for this as well. Wet Paint sets a more professional atmosphere but seems a little less networked and more focused on the development of an individual wiki while still trying to have the social connectivity (you can't have your cake and eat it too... well at least wetpaint isn't really managing too) where as Wikia is an online community which does an excellent job of shoving everything unrelated in one place and still making the navigation approachable. PBwiki takes the "Private wiki" this one step further but being more of and internal "online workspace" most of the functionality it offers you can set us using google docs anyway to be honest, being that google docs isn't a wiki I hesitate to say PBwiki is a "Wiki site" so much as it is: Digital workspace software with wiki functionality as part of the package... which google docs offers as well but they aren't really calling themselves a "wiki" so the term wiki, like it's name seems a little "hang loose" but don't get me started on social media overlap that is about another 5 blogs worth of subject matter.


At the end of the day I use wiki's but as an end user not on the contribution end which is the majority of how most people use them. As such getting one off the ground unless it's part of a mandatory in house workspace, is a tough thing to sell and one of the more challenging social media platforms to get up and running be it public facing or for in house use only. I will continue to be enthralled by the evolution of the wiki but I think over all it is a levithan of the day that will fall under it's own weight into more manageable sub technologies or evolve into more tightly developed software of starting up a digital work space for organizations. One thing that will never die though is the news and the wikipedia, if only because they are equally the monstrosities of unmanagable levels that the wiki technology just works with. For libraries I would encourage more manageable forms of social media, and for internal work the exploration of digital workspace software and additional options before deciding that a wiki best meets your needs.

Ready Set Streamline...

Alright so maybe there is a reason I never went into marketing, but the term used “Really Simple Syndication” seems to be a misnomer for a lot of people. Personally I think the name is partly to blame for lack of the applications usability “really simple” two words that imply “If you don’t get this you are kind of a dummy” followed by a word a lot of people will be punching into Google “syndication” just to find the definition of, only to read the definition and go “well I give up”.

Many people have overcome this RSS fear by accidently following instructions on a site not really knowing what they are signing up for and then finding it useful. My father is a prime example. He has RSS subscriptions for all his stocks… but if you asked him if he uses "Really Simple Syndication" or even "RSS feeds" he would look at you and ask “Do I look like I understand that techno babble?” which is hard to believe since he seems to have figured out how to set them up on his smart phone, but parents are amazing like that. RSS feeds are like signing up for a custom newspaper that gets e-mailed to you by headline or can appear as part of an application or on a web page or blog, and are especially useful for mobile technology such as phones, IPads, IPods, net books, and devices where the idea of loading a whole web page to get your information can be a time consuming and sometimes frustrating experience.

RSS feeds are one of the most the customizable, useable and possibly addicting social media aspects on the web, because anyone can use them for information on just about anything.  Your mother can get the latest recipe from Martha Stewart on her laptop, your dad can get his stock market updates on his smart phone and you brother can get the release dates on the latest comic books at the local comic shop on his IPod. Can you believe that I’ve never used them?

Yep it’s true turns out when you spend eight hours a day on the internet for work, you actually bank enough time to look things up manually ( I like to be pleasantly surprised by updates on the sites I use I'm weird like that) and I’m not one for mobile devices so this class was actually my very first RSS feed subscription. It is for the Boston Public Library and you can view it on my blog side bar. Yes it really is simple and I am no longer amazed my father was able to figure it out on his own (although I must admit he’s had me pretty impressed for the longest time) While you're checking out the RSS feed of Boston Public on the side bar why not subscribe to my feed as well. Yep even this humble little blog can have an RSS feed update you on my new posts with the click of a little orange button.

RSS feeds are by no means outdated, though applications like twitter seem more approachable and have a greater marketability, or at least it has been more effectively marketed to date. Nothing quite brings the World Wide Web to you in the package you want like RSS feeds. Libraries can use them for many things but the basic summary of their function would be to notify users of something they need to be aware of. Latest updates made to the library blog or events calendar, new editions added to the library, or the latest book reviews are some examples.

When it comes to getting an audience for your library RSS feed, you'll find people who use RSS feeds are no problem. You put up an RSS feed they will hunt for it with the overzealousness of a Facebook user stalking their most recent Ex’s latest party photos. People who use RSS feeds will be hooked by the little orange icon they have come to know and love. People who are intimidated by the RSS feed will ignore that icon with disdain or obliviousness as if it were a spam advertisement for the newest “Shamwow” product that popped up on their screen. Libraries have to take the approach that RSS feeds are kind of like feeding children onions, yah they are seasoning half the stuff they eat from burgers or pizza but if you tell a kid they are eating onions the response is usually “Yuck!” followed by the complete refusal of the kid to eat the meal they were just seconds ago chowing down on with the enthusiasm of a lion on a zabra.

Using words like “Stay up to date on the latest…. By clicking here!” are good terms that are approachable to users of all technical levels. Linking people to information on RSS feeds is a good idea too but it’s the second step, you have to get them using it before they will want to learn more. Show them it’s useful then they will want to learn. When they want to learn the second step is having the links and information for them available. The order in which you chose to execute these steps could make a big difference in the number of people who use your RSS feed.  The tactics you use to introduce users to your RSS are up to your imagination, and can extend to information sessions in a real world library information sessions. It all comes down to the magic of marketing and networking. Remember the prime goal is to get your RSS Read by Someone Sometimes.