Research of a Medical Librarian

In the MLA social networking course we’re working on Wikis this week. I’m still not sure if I have an immediate application at work for this technology.

My library is very non-traditional. My customers/users/patrons (have we found a good word yet?) are a small, finite group. The writers all use a specific publishing program that acts like social software wherein they check out whatever they’re working on, then check it back in for someone else to work on, if needed. They library only gets involved on the research side and supplying the resources they need. But something may present itself to me.

I have found a good personal application for a wiki, though. I have belonged to the book club at my library for the past 3 years. More than once I’ve considered creating a web page for the group. Yesterday I set up a wiki page instead – The SDCL Poway Library Book Club. I sent an announcement to all the members who have email (one doesn’t own a computer). I’ve already had two members sign up. It will be interesting to see if anyone else actually tries to change the pages or if it is left up to me. Some never may because they don’t use their computer as much.

I was impressed how easy it was to set up the pages. One of the people who signed up last night signed into the site as I was working on it. She was able to see the work in process as it changed – how cool!