The process of setting up a wikias a tool for knowledge sharing in a public

library

Internet Librarian 2008

Karolien Selhorst – Public Library of Vlissingen

When competing hoard your knowledge, but when collaborating share it

(David Gurteen – KM consultant)

The Public Library of Vlissingen

• The library is situated in the heart

of Zeeland (The Netherlands)• Apart from the main building, the library provides

services for the nearby situated village, the local hospital and several schools.

The Public Library of Vlissingen

• To stay relevant in the future

we want to provide more

specialist and tailor-made services to our users.

Better use of hidden staff talent

• In order to realise this ambition, the

library wants to make more and

better use of hidden staff talent and facilitate knowledge sharing

• A ‘knowledge audit’ was organised.• One of the findings was that the intranet did not

meet the needs of library workers

Wiki as intranet alternative

• Despite the low popularity of the

intranet, library workers indicated

that they were eager to share knowledge through a ‘similar medium’

• The idea for a wiki, essentially a knowledge-sharing tool, arose

What is a wiki?

• “A wiki is a website that allows

visitors to add, remove, edit and

change content.” (Wikipedia)• Wiki: quick (in Hawaiian)• Open or closed

Why wiki?

• Easy and quick to edit and update• Anyone can make changes• Low barrier for sharing• Content is free-form• Flexible and thus supports incremental

knowledge creation• …

Library wikis in practice

• Staff intranet: team collaboration

and communication• Co-operative projects and collaborative

authoring• Knowledge repository/KM tool• Subject guides• Planning spaces• …

Setting up a wiki in 6 steps

Step 1:Planning

• Evaluation of workplace culture

and environment• Establishing the purpose and the scope of the

wiki• Early involvement of future users• Identifying resources for creating and

maintaining the wiki• Choice of wiki software and wiki host

Step 2: Wiki design

• Lay-out/visual design• Initial structure of the wiki • ‘Seeding’ initial content• Creating documentation and policy rules for the

wiki, the so-called ‘wikiquette’ , but do not focus on the ‘rules’!

• Assigning user roles and setting access controls• Wiki sandbox

Step 3:Testing

• Careful selection of ‘test unit’ to run

a pilot: early-adopters advocate

wiki use• Testing involved: proofreading initial content,

testing links, basic functions, wiki usability• Importance of involving future users: feedback

Step 4:Launching the wiki and training users

• Training sessions are being

organised

• Promotion: focus on advantages of wiki use and involvement of pilot group

Step 5:Managing and maintaining

• Wiki gardener : one person

responsible for moderating

discussions, reviewing content, reviewing wiki structure to make content easy accessible by everyone

Step 6: Wiki evaluation

• The evaluation of the

implementation process• The evaluation of the wiki: wiki statistics and

user surveys

This is it!

The future?

• At the moment, we are developing

a software that will complement the

the wiki and support the way library staff deals with customer enquiries.

• Based on teams of knowledge experts• A revolutionary new way of working in a Dutch

public library

Wiki lessons learned

• The success of a wiki depends on

user contribution and enthousiasm• Involve your end-users from the beginning• ‘Reward people’ for contributing to the wiki• A wiki is a tool that complements, but not

replaces face-to-face sharing• ‘Seed’ the wiki• Integrate the wiki in daily working practice

Questions?

Selhorst.karolien@telenet.be