Wikipedia describes it better as "a milestone in the history of data collection and management" or a forerunner of Wikipedia. Card index systems as shown were

Wikipedia describes it better as "a milestone in the history of data collection and management" or a forerunner of Wikipedia. Card index systems as shown were not unusual in libraries or large offices. The difference here seems to be the global scope, collaboration in sourcing text, and the public access. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mundaneum https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mundaneum