CDL: CD wiki? (response 1)

[original posting followed by response. JA]


From: "Skib, Bryan" <bskib_at_umich.edu>

Has anyone used a wiki to create/organize/share in-house documentation
relating to collection development? I would be interested not just in
success stories, but things which did *not* work.

Thanks,

Bryan Skib
Coordinator of Graduate Library Collections
& Acting Collection Development Officer
209 Hatcher Library
University of Michigan
(734) 936-2366


==#1==

From: Elizabeth Mengel <emengel2_at_jhuadig.admin.jhu.edu>

Bryan,

When we reorganized CD here several years ago we started to use a WIKI 
for all of our documentation. The main Collection Management Council 
posts all of it's meeting notes, policies, etc. on the WIKI. Each of 
the Council's subgroups has pages on the WIKI. It's been extremely 
helpful in terms of being able to reach selectors at other Hopkins 
libraries because they don't have access to other spaces (intranets, 
shared drives, etc.) we used previously to manage documentation. The 
one we use has alerts so when changes are made to a page one can be 
notified. I find that extremely helpful.

Habits though can be hard to change and while I may put documentation 
there, often I have to email the link to someone asking a question. It 
can also be difficult to get some folks to learn yet another new 
technology. I think it is pretty easy to use, but if you don't use it 
often, adding pages or editing it can take more time than just typing 
a Word document.

I had also wanted to make sure the space was open to everyone in our 
library in hopes of getting discussions going with those who are not 
on our Council, but have an active interest in the collection. There's 
comments sections on all the pages that could generate discussion. 
However, this has never happened. We break our meetings up into 
operational meetings the first meeting of the month and strategic 
meetings the second meeting of the month. During the strategic meeting 
we try to discuss really big picture issues. I was hoping the topics 
and notes from those discussion would generate WIKI discussion. So far 
that's not happening.

On the whole I think it is a good way to organize and present information.

Liz Mengel

Liz Mengel
Head, Collection Management
Johns Hopkins University
3400 N. Charles St.
Baltimore, MD 21218
410-516-0809
emengel_at_jhu.edu


 >>> "John P. Abbott" <AbbottJP_at_appstate.edu> 8/21/2007 1:59 PM >>>
From: "Skib, Bryan" <bskib_at_umich.edu>

Has anyone used a wiki to create/organize/share in-house documentation
relating to collection development? I would be interested not just in
success stories, but things which did *not* work.

Thanks,

Bryan Skib
Coordinator of Graduate Library Collections
& Acting Collection Development Officer
209 Hatcher Library
University of Michigan
(734) 936-2366