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At the MaintainIT Project, we're always working to find new and useful ways to communicate about library technology, so when I recently encountered the Reelfoot Regional Library System's Reel Wiki, I asked Joyce Gunnels if she would share some information about it with me. Luckily, she agreed and here are her responses.
1. Joyce, can you tell me about the Reelfoot Regional Library System (including your position there) and the role the wiki plays?
The Reelfoot Regional Library is a part of the Tennessee’s Regional Library System, a division of the Tennessee State Library and Archives. This system has been in existence for over sixty years. There are 12 Regional offices throughout the State of Tennessee.
Our mission is:
• To provide supplementary library materials to member public libraries
• To assist local governments in public library development and expansion
• To provide continuing education to local library staff and trustees
• To assist in the selection and maintenance of library technology
• To provide direct outreach library services to the disadvantaged who have difficulty
using local public libraries
I am the Technology Coordinator for the Reelfoot Region. Along with a State Technology Coordinator, I assist the 14 public libraries in our 6 county region with selection and maintenance of library technology. The Reel Wiki plays a huge role in the lives of our public libraries. They go to the wiki for information about technology, such as troubleshooting their computers, circulation software, and much more valuable information. We keep a current calendar of training and outreach services. We also maintain a directory of email addresses, phone numbers and URLS of important contacts they might need. The wiki is an easy way to keep everyone current on whatever information they need to know to make their jobs easier.
2. How long have you been using the wiki?
We started the wiki about a year and a half ago. We are continually adding to it and coming up with new ways to use it to our libraries’ benefit.
3. How has the wiki been successful?
Our librarians would have to comment on that. I do know that before making a troubleshooting call to the regional office, they check the wiki for information to help them with their technology problem. Using the wiki is very empowering for most of our libraries. Because of budget constraints most have no trained technical person on staff. The wiki has also been a successful training tool for new staff.
4. Is it making a difference in the way you communicate about technology?
Yes. I try to have as many troubleshooting documents as possible loaded on the wiki. Library staff can download instructions for fixing a problem from the wiki, without having to make a phone call.
5. When you think about future goals for the wiki, what do you think will be the keys to success?
One of my future goals for the Reel wiki, is to have training videos. Another is to encourage the librarians to interact more with each other on policies and just general things that they need to discuss. We want one central location for our regional family to communicate with each other. Most do not branch out to talk with other librarians, so we thought this would give them a good start. The success of this wiki will depend greatly on us as administrators of the wiki. We have to keep it current and always look at the needs of our librarians. It also depends on the librarians. We are training them to use it and we hope it will empower them to be Web 2.0 users.
6. What are the challenges with the wiki that you are still working to overcome?
Our biggest challenge has been space. We started out with a free wiki and now, because of the need for so much more information librarians need at their fingertips, we must consider purchasing more space, which is a huge problem with so little money. Another challenge has been the time needed to keep everything current and what is needed by all. We spend a lot of time organizing, typing, scanning and uploading the information posted.
7. Is there anything else you would like to share with us about the wiki?
We feel that a wiki is the easiest way for us to provide information to 14 public libraries via the Web. It is used as one central place for us to talk as a group. It is an easier place to upload and edit the change in documents, procedures, and contact information we are bombarded with daily. And hopefully it is a place where the librarians find what they need, with just a mouse click to the REEL WIKI.
8. Why did you choose PBwiki?
I chose PBwiki because it's FREE and because it seemed to be the easiest to edit and use the way we wanted to begin our wiki development. In the short period of time I have been using the site, I have never encountered a problem with it. It is very easy to attach files, pictures and link to URLS.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
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What a great tool!