Well, finally something I understand (sort of) and might use (perhaps) that isn't always, totally a sure route to energy depletion and a longing for peace and quiet. Why is it I've found so much of this internet based "reality" so enervating?
But Wikis - now here's something my family has actually found a personal use for for the past three Christmases. Here's how it works: One of my techno-savvy sons sets up a "Family Christmas Wiki." It lists everyone in the family - siblings, parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents - who might be involved in a gift exchange. Then there are two edits that can be done. The person him/herself can edit a wishlist, noting things he/she would like, needs, whatever. On another "page" we can indicate what, from his/her wishlist, we've already gotten/made for the person. Or we can indicate suggestions of things others might get for those persons (two in particular come to mind) who never add anything to their own wishlist.
This works for us on many levels. First of all, we're often spread, quite literally, across the globe, with limited means of knowing what a person might actually need or want. Second, this avoids duplication. Third, many members of the family are just starting out and do have real needs that we might not know about. (Last Christmas, for example, one son "wishlisted" the book "Architectural Graphic Standards." Now, who would have come up with that?!)
Please note:
1. Some people don't edit their own wishlist. Response: Tough luck! They get whatever gifts others come up with, be it fruitcake or coal.
2. Present-wise, no one is limited to a person's wishlist. Some of the best presents are total surprises to everyone.
3. People could be cat-like in their curiosity and spoil their own Christmas surprises by checking the list of presents people have for them. So far, I don't think this has happened. If it has, the culprit would dare not say so in our presence!
How does this relate to our Library?
Well, every year we have an "Adopt-a-Book for the Holiday" program, through which patrons adopt books (or audios or movies) in other people's names to be added to our collection. The first taker-outer is the person in whose name the book has been adopted. So, we could somehow, someday do this with a wiki.
As for the Wiki sites:
I found Nancy Pearl's to be disppointing but with potential. In fact, I could say this of several sites. Library Success was the only sign-in site that I, well, signed in for. (As I noted in an earlier blog entry, I've decided to seriously limit my signing in to sites.) It, too, has great potential, but many of the links were, thusfar, of little value.
Nonetheless, it is amazing to see what other libraries are doing. Would that we had the time, the money and, most importantly, the population base for some of these things.
Note to PLLOGGERR: We must always remember we are a library not an archive. And, in my mind, reading a book online is not the solution to our "loss" of a classic. ILL is! But speaking of classics, how could you possibly think we should weed out "Gitanjali?"!
Note to Others: You can tell we're singing, fortunately most often in the same key, the "weeding out and automating library blues."
Chuuk, Micronesia
Friends in Micronesia
Library Frog on the Coast of Maine