Final Project

Five Weeks to a Social Library Final Project

For

Cheri Duncan, Head of Serials/Electronic Resources

James Madison University

  As a result of participation in the Five Weeks to a Social Library course, an online course created to teach librarians about social software and its use in libraries, I recommend the implementation of Wiki software at James Madison University (JMU) Libraries.  A “wiki” is a website which facilitates relatively simple editing of content and a multi-level structure. This ease of interaction and operation within a flexible structure makes wiki software ideal for collaborative web authoring and of potential benefit for any number of areas on the library website.  

As a pilot project, I propose that JMU Libraries utilize wiki software to create a new Technical Services staffweb presence.  Using a wiki to house policies, procedures, statistics, and other key Technical Services information, would streamline the maintenance of the Tech Services presence on the staffweb and provide a platform to encourage increased use of this information.  The current Tech Services website omits key information and is infrequently updated and rarely used.  Wiki software would enable the upkeep of this content to be further distributed among staff members who are more directly familiar with the information and ensure that the content is kept up to date.  The re-creation of this site using a wiki would also provide an opportunity to newly market the website to library staff and encourage renewed interest and use due to fact that content will be more current, continuously updated, and housed within new technology.  In addition, this project could be used to evaluate the usefulness of wiki software for other library needs and services, including, but not limited to the entire staffweb, electronic resource tutorials for patrons, subject guides, and special collections. These potential uses are evidenced by current use of wikis in  academic libraries, including: 

               Ohio University Libraries Biz Wiki (MediaWiki) – for research guides

               USC Aiken Gregg-Graniteville Library (PmWiki) – for library web

               University of Houston Libraries – for policies and procedures

               Florida State University – for electronic resource outreach. 

Three softwares should be investigated for possible use in JMU Libraries' initial wiki project, MediaWiki, Wikispaces, and PBWiki, since all three are available for use without charge and, therefore, require minimum initial investment by JMU Libraries.  A task force comprised of a representative of each functional unit of Technical Services will be responsible for the initial set up of the wiki software and implementation of the Technical Services wiki, consulting members of Digital Services as necessary. 

By implementing wiki software through this initial pilot project, JMU Libraries would be able to investigate not only the potential usefulness of wikis, but also methods of overcoming the main stumbling block in using a wiki at the Libraries, which is the lack of staff familiarity with wikis and the resulting resistance to adopting the technology.  In addition, the knowledge that a subset of staff will gain through implementation of a Technical Services wiki will generate a set of trainers for other staff members should the Libraries develop further use of wikis.  This same subset of staff will be responsible for the ongoing maintenance of the wiki software for the pilot project and the initial establishement of policies for the wiki.  Any extension in the use of wikis will result in a transfer of wiki software maintenance responsibilities to Digital Services staff currently responsible for maintenance of the Libraries’ web servers.