LIS 9763

 
Throughout the readings it was noted that wikis equate a “many-to-many formula” (Kille 8). In her article “Using Wikis to Create Online Communities,” Meredith Farkas argues that “wikis level the playing field… [they] completely democratiz[e] the process of designing websites” (1). In the same article, Farkas notes that libraries have utilized wikis to create subject guides, and notes that: [wikis are] a great way to develop a subject guide that really represents the interests of its users…” (2). At first, I thought this collaborative venue would be a progressive way of liaising with faculty. However I am prompted to question the level of control the librarian has over the wiki generated subject guide. I think that faculty contributions could be positive, if the librarian does not act on his or her urge to prune. The act of pruning could lead to negative relations between faculty members and the liaison librarian. 
 
Farkas also claims that communal pruning occurs: “the community enforces behavioural norms, so that it doesn’t become a free-for-all” (1).  In other words self-policing does not occur (refer to my first blog post on Foucault’s Panopticon Theory) but rather a form of communal control. In the book “Using Interactive Technologies in Libraries,” Chad Boeninger discusses some of the challenges he faced with the creation and maintenance of his “Biz Wiki.” Unfortunately, the Biz Wiki has been targeted by spammers and so Boeninger has basically transformed his wiki into a “one-to-many formula” by requiring users to request an account via email. Boegninger notes “while this is far from ideal if I wish to encourage community editing, this was a measure that I had to take to control Wiki spam” (54). The success of the Biz Wiki speaks for itself, but it is not fulfilling its communal function. As a result of spammers, Boegninger is solely responsible for pruning and updating the subject guide. This leads me to ask is a wiki the appropriate venue for encouraging interaction between users/faculty and the librarians/subject area? Moreover, does this wiki really reflect the user group? Boegninger does consider suggestions, via email, when updating the Biz Wiki, but I do not fully support the idea that this is a communal effort.  
 
Users have a vested interest when they can contribute to or create knowledge. According to Angela Kille “people turn information into knowledge by making comparisons, thinking about potential consequences, making connections, and discussing the information with other people” (5). When people actively participate in knowledge creation they are an identifiable part of the process.  Princeton Public Library’s “BookLoversWiki” is an example of this argument. By writing book reviews, the users contribute to a knowledge base. Thus, they are an actively contributing to the wiki and are more likely to continue interacting with this medium. On a side note, I like how the book titles are linked to Princeton’s catalogue in the BookLoversWiki. On the other hand, the login process is not very intuitive. 
 
Throughout this blog posting, I’ve been a bit weary of wiki use by librarians. However, Carolyn Eyles, a professor at McMaster, partnered with one of McMaster’s librarians on a wiki teaching project. It was a great success and as a result of her innovative teaching methods Eyles was awarded the 2009 3M Fellowship. Eyles created the wiki because students felt that their assignments were not valued because once they were marked these assignments were “lost forever” (qtd. Christmas). Eyles notes that “we created a wiki to build an inventory of Canadian glaciers, and it just instilled such pride in the students. They saw their contributions mattered” (qtd. Christmas). This quote is in line with my argument in the previous paragraph. The students had a vested interest in the creation of knowledge, and this is a prime example of communal knowledge formation. So I evidently support the use of 2.0 technologies in the classroom, and I see a definite role for librarians, while collaborating with faculty, in promoting, designing, and implementing 2.0 technologies in the classroom.
 
Boeninger, Chad F. “Wiki as Research Guide.”Using Interactive Technologies in Libraries. Ed. Kathlene Hanson and M. Frank Cervone. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.,2007.  
 
Christmas, Jane. “Eyles, Bontis receive Canada’s Highest Teaching Award.” McMaster Daily News. 05 Feb. 2009. 11 Feb. 2009 <http://dailynews.mcmaster.ca/story.cfm?id=5939>.