What's the difference between "a wiki", "Wikipedia", Google Sites" and "Pendergrass Library Veterinary Student Wiki"?

A wiki in general is just a collaborative web space for sharing information.

Wikipedia is one of the best-known examples of a wiki. People from all over the world collaborate to compile an encyclopedia of knowledge.

Google Sites is an online service for hosting wikis, provided by Google at http://sites.google.com/. Pendergrass Library chose to use this service because it is easy to use, both for librarians and students, and has a clean appearance.

Pendergrass Library Veterinary Student Wiki is Pendergrass Library’s set of pages containing reference information for student in the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. The goal of these pages is to provide information for students in the quickest and most efficient manner possible. A wiki format was chosen in order to eliminate the time lag between student or faculty suggestions and librarian-mediated web page updates

How do I access the Pendergrass Library Veterinary Student Wiki?

There is a link from Pendergrass Library’s Veterinary Information web page, or it can be accessed directly at http://sites.google.com/site/clinicalsproject/Home. Anyone can access the wiki from any computer, and you do not have to sign in to access the wiki.

I am a UTCVM faculty member/student. May I edit the wiki pages?

Yes, but you’ll need to become a member first. One of the problems that can accompany open contributions in the wiki world is spam, so we have to limit editing and discussion on the wiki pages to members. Signing up is easy: just contact Ann Viera or Sarah Wright, and we’ll get you added. Once your name is added, you can log in and start editing.

Do I need to request permission to join in order to use the wiki?

In order to access the pages of the wiki, you do not have to request permission to join. In order to edit the pages, you will have to email a librarian. For further explanation see the question above about editing wiki pages.

Is there any way to monitor the wiki to tell if new content or discussion posts have been added?

Yes! This is one of the reasons why the wiki format is so wonderful! If there is a specific page of the wiki that you’d like to keep up with, simply go to that page and click on “more actions” at the top. One of the choices will be to “subscribe to page changes,” click that and you’re done. (You will need to be logged in to access this setting.)

Where can I get assistance on using the Pendergrass Library Veterinary Student Wiki?

As always, the reference librarians at Pendergrass are available for help. In addition, graduate library assistant Sarah Wright is available on Saturdays and will be happy to introduce you to the wiki. Call (974-7338) or email (swright1 at utk.edu) to set up a time for a quick wiki lesson.