It's finally happened. I get it. Really. Finally. Now I fully understand what a Wiki is and even better, how a Wiki can be used. For readers, especially those of us always with an eye to the next great find, the idea I like a lot and think would be received well, is the idea of allowing patrons to annotate the library catalog ala Amazon.
Who "owns" the library? The taxpayers, of course. But do they feel like they own the library, i.e., that it is really theirs? A great way to create this sense of ownership is to encourage their participation with a Wiki that invites opinions and reviews. I also liked the subject Wikis, but these I suspect take a lot of time to set up in the beginning and require ongoing maintenance as new materials join the library, whereas the annotated catalog seems more likely to run itself once launched. Online communities of readers are appearing in myriad ways and while LibraryThing and GoodReads are great examples of this trend, a local library would add value onto itself by allowing its users to personalize it.
Patrons will catch on. They will get it. Really. One day. And they'll love it!
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