I've always wondered how Wikipedia remains as accurate as it is. I've often asked myself how the editors keep chaos from reigning. I enjoyed the TEDTalk video of Jimmy Wales and was interested to hear him speak about how it works. The neutral POV rule is an effective tool for ensuring that articles remain objective. Insisting on truth would be meaningless, as we all have our own versions of what we believe to be true. It seems to me the greatest asset is the team of volunteer editors with a passion for the work that they do. Constant self-monitoring of the wiki, accompanied by peer review and good communication within their tight community keep chaos and vandalism to a minimum.
I believe that this video changed my opinion somewhat. As a librarian, I think of using Wikipedia as a guilty pleasure; but I have come to believe that it can be a valid tool for initial reference work. Should an encyclopedia be radical rather than safe and stodgy? It seems to be working for Wikipedia. Perhaps the only way to cultivate passion for an encyclopedia is to be a bit extreme. Yes, I believe that libraries should also be radical. In the face of our changing environment, as technology options expand and budgets shrink, we as librarians must be creative and open to change.
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