Wiley received a B.A. in English literature from
Williams College in
Williamstown, and an M.A. in United States history from the
University of Wisconsin–Madison. He is Chairman of the Library and Technology Advisory Council for the California Polytechnic University at San Luis Obispo and serves on the Board of Directors of the University of California Press. He served on Board of Directors of the Friends of the San Francisco Public Library (1996-2013) and chaired its Development Committee during the successful Neighbor Library Campaign that led to the remodeling of branch libraries and the construction of new branches. He has lectured on the history and future of publishing, San Francisco history and architecture, and the writing experience. As an author, he has published several books, including'' National Trust Guide: San Francisco 'America's Guide for Architecture and History Travelers
, Yankees in the Land of the Gods: Commodore Perry and the Opening of Japan
and Empires in the Sun: The Rise of the New American West.'' == References ==