I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical about the functionality of wikis in a library environment. Everything I knew about wikis, I had learned from Wikipedia and I didn't realize how flexible and customizable they could be.
I explored the Wiki Sandbox created by the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County: http://plcmclearning.pbwiki.com/ and was surprised at how different it looked from Wikipedia!
After a little exploring, I found that PBWiki offered some exciting features such as the ability to upload files and attachments, generate a zip file of the wiki for back-up purposes, create RSS alerts, search, use pre-made skins, and insert plug-ins such as a chat room, a shared calendar, or a voice-chat widget!
With this in mind, the possibilities are endless!!
I can see how a wiki would be most helpful for the State Library's Website Committee. We could upload committee notes, link to web tools, provide a link to the test website, and use the wiki as a collaborative writing space for the creation of fresh web content. The access to this wiki would be limited to the web committee as well as those currently responsible for updating/maintaining web pages.
A wiki would also be a great tool for our digital initiatives. The DIMP (Digital Information Management Program) at the State Library of North Carolina works very closely with the Government Records and Information Technology Branches of the State Archives. Creating a wiki for these joint digital efforts would allow for easier and faster communication between institutions. It would allow those of us working on digital initiatives to have the most current and up-to-date information at our fingertips any time and any place!!
Wikis are an incredibly exciting tool, and I look forward to the possibility of working with them more in the future.
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