Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Week 7: #16 "So What's In A Wiki?"

Today I learned about Wiki's. I like the sound of the word since it means "Quick" in Hawaiian. (Anything Hawaiian sounding can't be too bad!) After looking at the HCPL Wiki, I added my favorite Restaurant to the Favorite Restaurants page (Antonio's in Deer Park). I tried to add my Favorie Pet and my Favorite Vacation spot but both of them were locked and I didn't want to steal anything from anyone so I will try to add to them later.
I'm not sure yet if I like Wiki's. It's rather scarey to think that anyone can just jump into (or onto?) your Wiki and change the information to please themselves. I'm more of a private person and would like to think that what I say is what I mean and not what some else decides I should say. Meaning if I post something and some else reads it and thinks it should say something else, they can change it and I may never find out about it (or I may not know about for quite some time) and a whole new can of worms is opened all because of a wiki.
I think Libraries can benefit from Wiiki's under certain conditions such as a group working together on a project. It could be easier to create a wiki and comminicate through it rather than endless e-mails they may not be read for a while. If everyone is on the same page (so to speak) with a wiki, it could save time and frustration of trying to get everyone together at a specific time/place to discuss what could easily be said on or in a wiki. I also liked the idea of library customers suggesting subject headings. Using more "Common Man" terminology could simplify the search process thereby making everyone happier.

1 comment:

NeoLuddite said...

Sounds like we're pretty much on the same page.