Wikis and Where the Wikis At? [Thing #13]

What I really liked about the library wikis was the variety that existed among. Some of are book lists, others are subject sorted lists, some provide helpful tips. I think it's an excellent way to provide more information to our customers as well as create a place where they could potentially contribute.

What I didn't like about a couple of the library wikis is that they didn't look like wikis. If it didn't say Wiki at the top, and/or had I not been told they were Wikis I would have thought them to just be websites. To me a Wiki should be a frame page (Left Hand Navigation bar remains the same. Main section of page changes with each link) , with the tabs at the top (article, discussion, edit, history), and the sometimes present box of Content Links (the links that automatically bring you down to that heading on the page).

Example Set 1: These look like Wikis.

This is a Wiki.
It has the tabs at the top of the main section, that would give you access to discuss, edit, and see history.
It has the left hand navigation bar with search box.
And it even has the Contents Link box.

Again this is a Wiki.
















Left Hand navigation, Tabs.
But it lacks the content box. How can it lack the content box and still qualify for Wiki status for me?
Good question the Content box actually has an option to hide/show it, so it is not a required piece of the Wiki puzzle.




Example Set 2: These are not Wikis in my own opinion. [Disclaimer: No offense is meant towards any contributors of the following pages.]

This does not look like a wiki.

The tabs are buttons. Not the same thing.
And where is the history button?
Where is the discussion button?

Where is my nifty left hand navigation bar? Where is the content box? It is very nice though that you can follow the links to the catalog listing of the book.

This does not look like a Wiki.
Where are my tabs?
Where is my frame page?
Why is my navigation bar on the left?


As you can see from the above examples I feel that Wiki actually has a certain look. If that look is not maintained I feel that the page loses some of it's Wiki-ness.
I did really like the information that was provided on some of these Wikis and would love the idea of creating some for our library. The one that really caught my eye was the Subject Guides Wiki, for those of us who could use a brief overview or introduction to a subject or genre.

I'd be really interested in seeing if it was possible to run a book club via a Wiki. A graphic novel book club perhaps? Maybe even a multi-library book club wiki, where members of any library could collectively read and discuss a book.

Pondering Potential Possibilities
~Library Wyrm~