The document discusses building a virtual science reference library on the web and proposes using a wiki platform. It notes challenges in selecting resources from the large web and presenting them. As a way forward, it suggests selecting research-level databases, texts, and images and presenting them on a wiki for easy collaboration. An example research resource wiki is provided, along with features like custom search engines. Open questions are raised about selection, coverage, description and next steps like expanding subject areas or editorial support.

1. A Virtual Science Reference Library Richard Wakeford November 2007

2. Problems in Building a Web Library What to select - overwhelming size of web How to present - www.bl.uk www.rdn.ac.uk / www.intute.ac.uk

3. Web 2.0 - A Way Forward? Select research level resources - databases, text libraries, image libraries Present on a wiki - www.pbwiki.com

4. Research Resource Wiki www.research-resource.pbwiki.com Collaboration – password access Easy to use - Point-and-Click Editor Supports html, tags, plug-ins (Customised Search Engines) Web based tools for link checking & traffic analysis

5. Building a Web Library? Selection? Coverage? Granularity? Description?

6. Where Next? Enquiry team editors? Stand alone Wiki? Link to BL page? Migrate to BL? More subjects? More editors?