Page:Wikipedia and Academic Libraries.djvu/308

Rh in formats other than monographs. Wikipedia lists can be useful in locating creators and works that may not have individual bibliographic records in the library catalog.

Mapping data to fields in a bibliographic record from similar categories in each system is an obvious example of how libraries and Wikipedia can provide each other with additional information to draw from; however, Joseph (2019) suggests a fresh approach of how Wikipedia can contribute to the library catalog. One of the challenges library catalogs face is the loss of historical revisions to bibliographic records. This change came consequently from the physical card catalog transition to the digital library catalog. “Analyses that were possible with physical catalog cards can no longer be performed, and tools that process digital records leave no traces of the information they add, remove, or update” (Joseph, 2019). In 2015, OCLC stopped printing catalog cards. Revisions and the historical context of classification are omitted in the online catalog, removing a source that librarians could reference for past analysis. Wikipedia, on the other hand, allows users to track changes in its digital environment through its discussion pages and revision pages. Joseph (2019) believes the library catalog can benefit from a similar practice, allowing analysis of changes and a larger field of subject domain experts to contribute to metadata decisions through discussion.

Library employees have easier access to databases, reference works, and special collections or archival materials than some Wikipedia members, which prove especially valuable in satisfying notability requirements for articles. While the Internet removes many barriers to access, older print materials are still largely held in libraries. Similarly, special collections materials are o en only available through intermediaries or by on-site visits. Libraries also feel incentivized to provide citations from their special and local collections to bring greater visibility to those materials. In the analysis of Wikipedia lists, the subject expert began their search in Google Books but also utilized interviews found in library databases to conduct their research.

The volunteer nature of Wikipedia also makes it an excellent source of editors with rich and varied subject knowledge. Domain experts from