New work spaces: wikis for cataloging collaborations

摘要

Over the past few years a number of wikis have been used by New Zealand libraries for cataloging related purposes -two as project management tools, one as a repository for project documentation, one as a national knowledge repository, and one as a local institution-based knowledge repository. In all of these cases wikis have proven to be a highly effective tool.rnThe chosen software offerings, Wetpaint and Pbworks, are both free,rnopen source platforms. An externally hosted solution was preferred at the time wikis were set up because they enable wikis to be immediately available for use. They are also easier to edit, and there is no need for local IT support. The downside is the question of disaster recovery and the need for constant backups. Free wikis also have limited storage and limited numbers of users.