Week 7 #17 - Editing the sandbox

I headed over to the PLCMC Favourites wiki and I add some information about some of my favourite TV shows and added my blog to Favourite blogs page.

PBWiki has added a new editor which is really easy to use.

Cheers, webgurl

Week 7 #16 - Choosing a wiki

I've been working hard this week evaluating one of the wiki software we downloaded. We've installed it locally for the moment so I can show you all yet. It's called Wikka and I can do the following with it:

1. Hide the registration so that we don't have lots of spammers registering. We'll provide links to a form where people can register to become editors. I'm hoping that with the Learning 2.0 program people will feel confident enough to volunteer to help out.


2. Tinker with the style and layout.
   
   

It has a fairly simple text editor so you don't have to remember all of the complicated tags. You just point and click and the editor inserts the tags for you.

At first I'll transfer content from the existing Online Information and Links section but I'll also be adding some pages where staff can add tutorials for using the library resources e.g. searching for magazine articles, finding a book to read next etc.


Have you got any great ideasfor the Online Information wiki? Why not send me a comment.

Cheers, webgurl

Week 7 - #16 - Wikis

This week comes at just the right time. I'm currently evaluating wiki software to decide which is the best one to use for our online information links.

First up I went to WikiMatrix. This site has a Wiki choice wizard which guides you through the evaluation.

Questions asked include:

1. Do you want a page history?
2. Do you want a WYSIWYG editor (What you see is what you get)?
3. Do you want to load software on your server or have it hosted?

Some of the issues I need to consider are if the page editing process is easy and if there is access control. You want to have several levels of access for administrators and editors. I don't want everyone around the world editing. I want to set up a system where people register to be editors.

I had a quick look at the two main players in the hosted wiki arena; Wetpaint and PBWiki. If you want to have a look at the results check them out:

http://erlonlineinformation.wetpaint.com/
http://erlonline.pbwiki.com/

I haven't given up on hosting our own wiki either. We'll see what happens.

Cheers, webgurl

Week 6 #15 - Library 2.0/Web 2.0

As a web designer I spend a lot of my time testing emerging technologies and thinking about their application in our library service. I don't decide to adopt something because it's cool or shiny and new. I like to imagine how it can improve someone's access to our services or their experience on our website.

I loved Wendy Schultz's comment that, "Libraries are not merely in communities, they are communities". Previously it was common library practice for staff to decide what their members wanted. Some books did just sit on the shelves just in case a particular question was asked. The advent of online resources has changed that immensely. Our printed reference collections are shrinking in favour of online resources. At present I'm working on setting up a wiki for our online information links. I hope to see library staff collaborating with school staff and members to maintain these pages. I want to extend it to tutorials for our online resources and study guides.

I anticipate this being warmly received by our younger members and those who are down with Web 2.0 but what about the rest? I think it's important these members are not forgotten. Perhaps offering some training sessions so interested members can find out what it's all about. That's another reason why Learning 2.0 is a great project. When library staff learn about blogs, wikis and social bookmarking etc they can talk to others about it. Perhaps mention it while showing a member some sites while doing a reference interview.

Cheers, webgurl