Hello, friends--
 
Thought this may be of interest to the members of this list!
 
Best,
 
--Eric
 
Eric D. M. Johnson
Library Services Coordinator
Jefferson Library, Monticello
P.O. Box 316
Charlottesville, VA 22902
Phone: (434) 984-7540 | Fax: (434) 984-7546
http://www.monticello.org/library/ <http://www.monticello.org/library/> 
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NEW SOURCE OF INFORMATION ABOUT JEFFERSON GOES ONLINE
 
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. - Internet users now have a new site to visit for a
broad range of information about Thomas Jefferson and Monticello - the
Thomas Jefferson Wiki. 
 
The site, which is accessible through Monticello's Web site
(http://www.monticello.org) and at http://wiki.monticello.org, contains
more than 300 articles by Thomas Jefferson Foundation staff members and
associated scholars on topics ranging from the Declaration of
Independence and the Louisiana Purchase to Jefferson and poison ivy and
how Monticello was supplied with water. 
 
"The Wiki is designed to be an authoritative online encyclopedia of
information about all aspects of Thomas Jefferson's life, times, and
legacy. We have been seeking a way to make our knowledge resources
available to the public and the TJ-Wiki gives us the means to expand and
update the material very easily," said Foundation Librarian Jack
Robertson, who directs the project. "The beauty of this system is that
we'll deliver to the Internet, for public use, the expertise of selected
Jefferson scholars and individuals with special knowledge to share." 
 
The Thomas Jefferson Wiki employs MediaWiki, the free, open-source
software that's behind the popular Wikipedia site. However, only
designated Monticello staff members and respected Jefferson scholars are
able to make changes to the site's content. 
 
Members of the public can participate in the TJ-Wiki's online community
by creating an account and accessing the "Discussion" pages, where they
can submit questions or suggest changes. Account-holders also can sign
up to be notified when new articles are added and when articles of their
choosing are changed. 
 
"The Wiki helps us maintain a balance between accessibility and
accuracy," said Anna Berkes, research librarian at Monticello's
Jefferson Library. "The public has ways to provide input and we're able
to ensure that the information posted is verifiable and trustworthy. We
always want to hear from people, but we also want to be very careful
with the facts." 
 
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http://www.monticello.org/pressroom/showArticle.php?id=192