Wiki #15

I started to do #16 before #15 because it was the first thing I saw for this week's Learn and Play assignment. So I am backtracking. The first link presented is for Wikipedia's Main page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page. I had used Wikipedia before to search for specific information, but I hadn't seen this page that offers these services:
Help desk — Ask questions about using Wikipedia.
Reference desk — Serving as virtual librarians, Wikipedia volunteers tackle your questions on a wide range of subjects.
Village pump — For discussions about Wikipedia itself, including areas for technical issues and policies.
Community portal — Bulletin board, projects, resources and activities covering a wide range of Wikipedia areas.
Site news — Announcements, updates, articles and press releases on Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation.
Local embassy — For Wikipedia-related communication in languages other than English.
...and lists Wikipedia sister projects, featured article, etc etc. Let's just say the main page is jam packed with information and worth exploration.

This article http://www.webjunction.org/social-software/articles/content/438229 mentions opening up a wiki as a community resource and I feel that putting together several contributor's inputs on a wiki is a perfect use of it's collaborative functionality. In addition, it mentions internal use of a wiki by librarians and I have since discovered that CML already has a task force utilizing a wiki.
Other links for thing #15;
SJCPL: http://www.libraryforlife.org/subjectguides/index.php/Main_Page has a clean, easy to understand, easy to use presentation.

Book Lovers Wiki: http://booklovers.pbwiki.com/Princeton%20Public%20Library is a little more dressed up, but also exibits the same ease and functionality. The dates are older, though, which makes me wonder if this is an abandoned project.
I really like how Bull Run Library's Wiki can be linked to delicious, digg, reddit, furl, and spurl. You can also subscribe to it's feed...and that is a real plus since there are continuous updates.
I think a Wiki lends itself very nicely to the constant need for collaboration and presenting updated information as programs change throughout the year at libraries as well as in communities. The down side is when a project is abandoned, but the wiki still exsists and clutters up the landscape when you are searching for information. I feel that if something like this is started that it should be nurtured and supported so that it is ongoing and something that the public will rely on and trust. Even if there are mistakes, those can be addressed, just as long as it keeps on going so that people will keep using it.