Together with several colleagues, the LabMan has taught an Introduction to Laboratory Automation short course since 1993, and we long ago thought that we'd have "intro'd" all the people who would ever need it.  They still keep coming, and they have the same basic questions and the same war stories of projects gone wrong that we were hearing at meetings 20 years ago.  The short course can only reach a limited number of people each year.  We often pondered writing a book to reach the masses.  However, the LabMan has a number of books in his office related to laboratory automation.  Paper-published information about our field is doomed to be dated the moment it hits a bookshelf because our field changes and morphs quickly.  Besides, the LabMan has ceased to display these books prominently since someone pointed out to him that a book on FORTRAN II programming made him appear to be a fossil!

The solution to the dilemma is LabAutopedia, a collaborative compilation of the world's laboratory automation knowledge continually grown and updated by an online community!  There has never been such a thing that remained current.  Now there will be a repository that will grow, improve and update all the time.

For you wikiheads, some technical information.  LabAutopedia has been created using the same back-end tool that powers Wikipedia, Mediawiki.  We have taken it a step further and have incorporated a WYSIWYG editor so that you don't have to be fluent in wikitext to create an article.  It's very easy to create and edit content.  We've added some extensions that allow more sophisticated category listings and searching, to better help you find what you're looking for.  Articles can also contain a player for video content hosted on YouTube, since a lot of the knowledge in our field is best conveyed visually.  Check out the great LabAutopedia video on the Main Page!   Finally, LabAutopedia has been given a clean, stylish, easy-on-the-eyes look - not the clunky appearance of many wikis you'll see. 

LabAutopedia is open to contributions by anyone with something to relevant share.  We encourage contributions, editing and commentary!  Create an account and get going!  We do, however, discourage content that has an advertising focus.  (There will be an ALA-created home for such content in the near future)  We also know that some people aren't comfortable with the standard wiki approach that allows the world to edit and add to your original article creation.  So we have created "invited articles" that are editable only by the original author(s).  Some leaders in our field have already contributed such articles, which you'll recognize by the bright red "Invited Article" banner at the top of the page.  If you want to contribute an invited article, use the Contact Us information on the Main Page to let us know.

What if you need information but don't see such an article?  Click on Community Portal in the left sidbar and you'll find a list of articles that have been requested.  Add your request to the list.  Perhaps you'll see a requested subject that you or a colleague can write about!

We already had a great response.  Our first day view rate was amazing.  And we've had some excellent comments, such as:

"This is the kind of resource I myself would have given my right arm for (I’m a lefty) when I started my instrument construction project."

"I was moved to tears ... but that's because I stubbed my toe. Oh, the video's good, too."

LabAutopedia will be as great as you help it to be.  To truly be a "The Knowelege Network", we need to tap each and every brain out there with something to share about our field.  Your contribution can be as simple as adding an item to one of our many reference lists.  Do you know of a university with a great little lab technology focused group?  Add them to the university list!  Did you just run across a great web site that everyone should know about?  Add it to the list of information sites!  Did you just read a great book?  Quick, add it to the book list, because it's already almost out of date!  Better yet, contact the author and suggest they write a LabAutopedia article as an update to their book! 

Enjoy using LabAutopedia!  Learn!  Contribute!  Bask in the glow of being an author seen around the world! 

Thanks to the entire LabAutopedia team!

Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto!