[Publib] 2.0: It cheapens us, it cheapens everyone

[Walt Crawford]

I'd like to take issue with a portion of Kathleen Stipek's comment:

"Right now, we can't tell who is contributing to Wikipedia or any other
wiki."

Generally true for Wikipedia. Not necessarily for other wikis.

The one I'm working on, the PALINET Leadership Network (
http://pln.palinet.org), has mostly signed articles--signed with author's
names, not screen names. (It's open to everyone who's interested and it's
free; go visit.)

Quite a few other wikis have signed articles. Citizendium (
http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Main_Page) requires the use of real names for
contributors and editors.

As for Joe's original commentary--much as I admire Joe Schallan's work and
portions of what he's saying here, I find the post and thread title
unfortunate. "2.0" is no more a single thing than are all blogs or all
wikis, and the tools themselves neither cheapen us nor everyone.

walt crawford, Director/managing editor, PALINET Leadership Network (pln)

On Jan 31, 2008 9:46 AM, Kathleen Stipek <kstipek at aclib.us> wrote:

> While I think that there can be some use for wikis and similar
> technological resources both for librarians and the general public, I
> have some of Joe's reservations about accuracy and authority in
> information resources.  Right now, we can't tell who is contributing to
> Wikipedia or any other wiki.  There may be a way to chase down the
> information on somebody's screen name to find out if this person knows
> what he's talking about, but the ordinary patron hasn't got time for it.
> And most ordinary  patron is 'way too trusting.  They believe that if
> it's on the internet or in print or on TV, it is so because it's illegal
> to lie.  They don't understand that this is not even close to being so.
> In the past, this is where librarians have come in as information
> evaluation specialists.  Our stock in trade has always been hunting down
> reliable, authoritative information.  Here I part company with Joe.  I
> think that librarians need to participate in the internet, perhaps not
> in Wikipedia except in areas where we have either personal or
> professional expertise.  We need to be the ones demanding transparency
> in information provision.  No more edits or contributions with screen
> names.  If your information is good, you should be prepared to put your
> name on it and state your sources.  We could add wiki reviews to LJ,
> RBB, etc., and make a point of which ones have source details and which
> are anonymous.  As it is anybody, with wonderful information or lousy,
> can create a wiki to enlighten or endim the world.  We as librarians,
> information evaluators, need to be involved, to separate and identify
> the trash and the treasure.  Reference book publishers cringe when RBB
> reviewers observe 'not a necessary purchase.'  Internet content
> providers should cringe when a librarian review of their wiki or other
> resource observes 'not a necessary link.'  The time for passivity is
> over.  Someone needs to evaluate the quality of information out there,
> and we have the tools and the talent.
>
> Kathleen Stipek
> Alachua County Library District
> 401 East University Avenue
> Gainesville, Florida 32601
> 352-334-3931  (fax) 352-334-3948
>
>     --
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