About 30 students, who are enrolled in the Publicity Methods course, created EIU Blueprint, a wiki dedicated to information about Eastern and the surrounding area, which will be released on Tuesday.

Christopher Smith, a junior business marketing major, said students in the two sections of the Publicity Methods course, taught by journalism professor Liz Viall, began working on EIU Blueprint in September.

“This wiki will give students and community members a great opportunity to find local information,” Smith said. “It is a collaborative process and I feel as if it could grow substantially over time.”

The wiki will be open to public editing, meaning viewers can change or add information to EIU Blueprint.

“Giving people the chance to become editors allows for more freedom and more opportunity for people to build on information,” Smith said. “People will be able to look up pretty much anything they want to know about Eastern and the community.”

Smith said the wiki will contain information on Eastern buildings, departments and historical facts.

“This is a wiki created by students for students, and I see this being a useful reference particularly to freshman and transfers who want to know information about their new home,” Smith said.

In addition to information pertaining to Eastern, EIU Blueprint will also be a reference for transportation such as bus schedules, restaurant opportunities and business hours of stores in Charleston and Mattoon, he said.

“A unique aspect of the wiki is that it can be used not only as a source of information but also a site where organizations can market and promote their events,” Smith said.

The Publicity Methods students have been publicizing for the wiki with mass emails, news releases and flyers, he said.

A Facebook page titled “EIU Blueprint” was created to promote the wiki. An event is also scheduled to promote EIU Blueprint on Thursday in the North Quad.

Rachel Rodgers can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].