Use Your Wiki with Library Staff
Library FAQ: Use our FAQ template or Table of Contents Plugin to share those FAQ's with library staff.
Bibliographic Plans: Do you get a lot of requests for information on a single topic? Post book lists, links to good articles or images on your wiki, and have the resources stored for future use!
Scheduling: Use our 30boxes calendar plugin to schedule staff. If you've got a big library, or a library system with muliple branches, you can tag items with colors to signify locations.
Statistic Collection: Room Counts? Reference Encounters? Also use of periodicals and daily checkouts; great way to have the numbers ready to add to any reports that need to be put together for administrators - or just for your own enlightenment! Put 'em on your wiki! Archive them on your wiki page to track trends for future use.
Supply Ordering: Demco's catalog has approximately 10,000 different types of barcode label protectors. Use your wiki to save frequently ordered supply numbers, and you'll never order the wrong item again. A bonus: use your wiki to store a wishlist of supplies or materials. You never know when you might get a monetary donation or some wiggle room in your budget. (This is a great idea; never having to search for just the right order number again!)
Procedures: Use your wiki to outline procedures for daily tasks, processing materials, sending out overdue noticies, and giving out library cards. A real time save, for sure.
Technology: Record past problems and solutions with your ILS software, subscription databases, catalog imports, etc. so that if a problem resurfaces in the future, it will be easy to find the solution. Other libraries in your system can benefit from the experiences you share on the wiki. This is also a good place to keep a file one librarian calls "Facts at My Fingertips," a filel containing often-needed data relating to technology all in one place.
Needs Assessment: Patrons can use this space to list materials they need. Library staff can then edit the request to show what actions they are taking to fulfill the need. Additionally, patrons who are tracking updates, may see the request, realize the material is part of their personal or classroom collection and make arrangements to share with the patron making the request, at which point the request could be withdrawn or edited to mark the request as fulfilled.
