What is a Wiki anyway?
A wiki is a webpage where groups of people can collaborate on projects. Everyone can add their own content, making it a rich resource for the user community.
Who can participate in Butler Reference Wiki?
Right now, participation is limited to librarians in the History and Humanities department.
Who are our users?
Our users are our library patrons, as well as ourselves. We can benefit greatly from the knowledge and expertise of our colleagues and by collaborating to create an excellent resource. Note: At present we are not promoting the Butler Reference Wiki beyond our H&H staff needs.
What types of pages should I create?
It would be beneficial to create pages for tough reference questions and topics which we receive at the desk. This is also a place for us to post about research topics or questions that we would like others to answer. These posts should go on the Unanswered Questions page.
How do I add resources or suggestions to an existing page?
- The first step is to login with your name, email, and the master password which you should have received.
- The next step is to click on the "Edit this Page" button at the top or bottom of the page you would like to edit.
- You have three choices now. You can use html coding or you can use wiki coding for formatting. Wiki coding will probably be simpler if you aren't familiar with html. Additionally, you can just type in plain text and it will look just fine.
Wiki Code Tips
| Desired Effect | Preceding | Text | Following |
| Bulleted List | *space | word | |
| Numbered List | #space | word | |
| Bold | ** | word | ** |
| Italic | '' (2 single quotes) | word | '' |
| __Underlined__ | __ (2 single underscores) | word | __ |
| X-Large Header | ! | word | |
| Header | !! | word | |
| Smaller Headers | !!!(up to 6) | word | |
| Box around Word or Phrase | | | word | | |
| Horizontal Rule | - | On Line Alone | |
| Text Box around Section | space | word | blank line |
Tables
- Create tables by beginning and ending row with
- Create columns by using additional
between words
Links
- Type in the url and it will become a link: http://www.pbwiki.com
- Place brackets around a url and a word separated by | to create a linked word such as: [http://pbwiki.com/|PBwiki] to create PBwiki
- Both apply to email links: support@pbwiki.com or [support@pbwiki.com|help!!] to create help!!
Pictures
- To upload files such as pictures, click the "Files" button at the top of the wiki and browse to the image. For detailed instructions, see the Uploading Files instruction page.
- After you have uploaded your image, just link to the url of the file and place it in brackets, i.e. [http://pbwiki.com/sandwch2.jpg] for:
How do I log in?
You can log in with your initials, your columbia email address and the shared password. The password will be kept in the Reference Desk 3-ring binder in the "Procedures" section.
How do I create a new page?
- You can create a new page by searching for desired page name in the search box on the Front page or on the upper right side of any other page.
- After the search, you will be offered the choice to create that page.
- Click into that link and start typing!
- Note: It would be great if we could develop a standard naming convention for new pages. If everyone could name their page according to the subject of the question, i.e. Contemporary Chinese Nationalism, rather than "How Do I Find Resources about Such-and-Such", I think it will increase usability.
What is the Unanswered Questions Page for?
The unanswered questions page is a place for everyone to post tough questions that they have received when they have not been thoroughly satisfied with what they've found on the topic. The page is meant to hold pending questions only. If you post a question on this page for another librarian to answer, you should start a new page for that question once it has been answered.
How do I sign my entry?
It will be very useful if everyone "signs" their entries in the wiki. This way we are aware of where and from whom each suggested resource is coming from.
- You can sign your initials following your suggested resource or list of resources.
- To add color to your initials, surround your initials with tags as in the following example: <span style="color:fuchsia;">EAK</span>
- The available colors with which you can replace fuchsia are: green, silver, maroon, red, purple, lime, olive, yellow, blue, navy, teal, aqua, gray, and white.
- Note: To make a long section all one color, use div rather than span in the tags.
- To make your initials smaller, enclose the span tags with small tags: <small><span style="color:fuchsia;">EAK</span></small>
How do I keep track of comments or additions made to the pages I create?
You can keep updated in several ways:
- Go to the Changes page on the wiki to see all changes which were made over the past 2 weeks.
- Subscribe to our Butler Reference Wiki RSS feed. All updates will appear in your news aggregator, i.e. Bloglines as soon as they are made. If you would like some help getting set up with an aggregator, please feel free to contact Ellyssa at ek2251.
How does the "Search for Questions" work?
The search available on the wiki will search for a single keyword (no Boolean or quotes) within the full text of the wiki, not just the text contained in the question. The search will produce the results below, along with an option to start a new related page. The ads from Google along the side are also targeted to match your search term.
Where do I find more information?
I still need help!
- If you don't find the information you need here, please feel free to contact Ellyssa at ek2251. EAK
Top
Comments (0)
You don't have permission to comment on this page.