How the wiki has helped me

Being an editor for SJSU’s LIS Publications Wiki has helped me in a variety of ways, both expected and unexpected. Unsurprisingly, the wiki has made me aware of numerous LIS publications I didn’t know existed. The Journal of Interlibrary Loan, Document Delivery & Electronic Reserve is of particular interest to me due to my interest in rare books. One of my favorite articles, “Interlibrary Loan Options with Digital Equipment,” by David Mark-Zopfi, describes how librarians can use digital technologies to share rare materials with patrons thousands of miles away.1

On a more surprising note, the wiki has shown me just how many opportunities are available to LIS authors outside the realm of LIS publications. For example, Alison Peters, a former editor of this wiki, was able to publish an article on Medium entitled “Why I Needed the Library Degree.” As our wiki entry notesMedium features a page devoted to SJSU’s iSchool as well as articles on a wide variety of topics, many of which are completely unrelated to library science. Cliched though it may sound, the number of publication options available to LIS authors is truly boundless.

Writing for the wiki has also taught me a great deal about The Chicago Manual of Style. If you—like me—are pursuing a career in publishing, editing, etc., familiarizing yourself with Chicago style is a must. As an editor for the wiki, I’ve learned that Chicago style differs from the American Psychological Association (APA) style in a variety of ways, namely in the use of footnotes. The content of a footnote varies depending on the source being cited, but generally, it includes the author, title, publication info, date, and—if applicable—page numbers. Also, unlike APA, Chicago style uses the author’s full name, as opposed to his/her initials.

Finally, working on the LIS Publications Wiki has strengthened my commitment to quality. In this era of rapid change and information overload, wikis are frequently my go-to source of information. Oftentimes, a wiki entry is my first encounter with a topic. Thus, I take my responsibility as a wiki editor very seriously and strive to relay information on each publication as accurately as possible.

I hope you find the wiki useful for all your LIS writing and publishing needs. As always, feel free to point out any areas you think we could improve. Wikis are meant to facilitate conversation, after all!

Show 1 footnote

  1. David Mark-Zopfi-Jordan, “Interlibrary Loan Options with Digital Equipment,” Journal of Interlibrary Loan, Document Delivery & Electronic Reserve 25, no. 1-2 (2015): 15, https://doi.org/10.1080/1072303X.2015.1125404.
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