From: http://www.wikipatterns.com/display/wikipatterns/WikiGnome
A WikiGnome is a person who performs small edits on a wiki to continually improve its overall quality .
(A WikiGnome is also often known as a WikiGardener)
WikiGnomes are important to the success of a wiki because their edits increase the value of everyone else's content, such as:
Cosmetic editing to keep the wiki from being overrun with "weeds" (typos, misspellings, poorly structured sentences and paragraphs) Add or fix links to make sure relevant content is navigable within the wiki Improve the flow and clarity of content improve the readability of the page Setting an example for other users of how and when to use the wiki Usage WikiGnomes tend to be self-selecting. They're people who care about attention to detail, are offended by messiness and will make the small edits that are required to continually improve the quality of your wiki.
So if you can't select them, how do you increase gnome-like behaviour?
When you see someone making a small, cosmetic improvement edit - encourage them. If someone emails you to tell you about a small mistake - show them how to fix it themselves. Make sure that your wiki makes it obvious how to edit a page. Ensure that your people understand there are no barriers to anyone editing (improving) any page. (exemplified by wikipedia's "Be Bold" mantra)
More reading on WikiGnomes and WikiGardening: