After examining several library wikis, I found that the Antioch New England Graduate School's Library Training Wiki struck me as the most effective example. This wiki presents information for the use of front desk staff members who need to know how to do everything from handling Wi-Fi problems to watering the library plants. The wiki seems to have some display problems (some pages are too wide on my browser, but others fit neatly on the screen; text sometimes overlaps header lines), but the content is useful and updated regularly.
This wiki meets at least three of the criteria listed in Johnston’s (2007) article about the circumstances under which wikis are most effective:
1. Best for groups who know each other already.
2. Better with clear outcome in mind
3. Better for documenting consensus than documenting dissenting opinions
I think there are at least two other reasons for this wiki’s success:
1. The users are contributing to the success and ease of their work and of their co-workers (present and future), both by what they learn as they write and by having a written document for future reference. This gives workers a personal and visible reward for participating.
2. Workers are required to participate (see the About page of the wiki). This may not always be an advantage—in fact, some may argue that it violates the free spirit of wiki collaboration—but it does short-circuit the reluctance of many people to try something new. Some people may hold back for fear of failure—requiring participation means that failure comes from not trying out the wiki rather than from trying and somehow not getting it “right”.
Group projects such as wikis depend on participants taking ownership of the site content, and usually rely on relatively few participants who are very active and many lurkers and occasional contributors. Given the small number of people using this library wiki, it makes sense to require everyone to participate.
Johnston, B. (2007). “When to Use a Wiki.” Online Community Report.
