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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons

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Library and Information Science

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Claremont Colleges

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2014

Crowdsourcing

Articles 1 - 1 of 1

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

A History Of Collaboration, A Future In Crowdsourcing: Positive Impacts Of Cooperation On British Librarianship, Sally Ellis Mar 2014

A History Of Collaboration, A Future In Crowdsourcing: Positive Impacts Of Cooperation On British Librarianship, Sally Ellis

Library Staff Publications and Research

This article looks at the varying definitions and usage of the term ‘crowdsourcing,’ including those that insist the term may only be applied to online activities. An argument is made that, semantics aside, the activities known as crowdsourcing, collaboration, and/or citizen science, were in use long before the current online medium was invented and should be recognized not for the terminology employed but for the mutual benefits reaped. The article addresses the strengths of such activities, including user engagement, the accomplishment of tasks otherwise not possible because of budget cuts, and diversity of viewpoint. In addition, the possible weaknesses of …