Wikis

The tasks for this week involved wikis and how libraries can use them. I found several different applications for wikis on the websites I visited. Some were in the form of articles as well as information on certain subjects, others started with subject headings, still others gave information about library conferences. Of all the sites I have seen I found Wikipedia the most interesting because you can look up words, subjects, etc. and find articles about them. I have had practical experience with Wikipedia in the past and have found it very easy to use. In addition, I discovered some Wikis are used for people to put in their own opinions on subjects of interest to them. Still others add their favorite things to their Wiki. One in particular I looked at listed fantasy vacations the author wanted to take. I added my two cents in (so to speak) about my fantasy vacation I was able to take last year to Mackinac Island, Michigan. The specific event of an ALA Conference in Chicago was the subject of another Wiki. This wiki is very well organized and has a lot of information on it. The information was so easy to access which is helpful for people like me who are technology challenged. Besides the pertinent facts about the conference, there was also a guide to the best places to go to get Chicago's famous deep dish pizza. Even though the conference took place several years ago, this wiki could be helpful to anyone who wanted to know about this conference or how to set up their own wiki about an upcoming conference. It also is helpful for anyone who is planning to travel to Chicago because besides the restaurant information, there was also a guide to getting around in the city and even which airport is the best one to use. The multi-purpose aspect of the wiki is another good thing for libraries because one never knows what one will be asked to find. Overall, I have enjoyed this brief journey through the world of the wiki. I look forward to making use of this technology in the future.