Wikimedia Projects From Africa to Digital Heritage Conference

Wikimedia Projects: From Africa to Digital Heritage Conference Van Leer Institute, Jerusalem By Shani Evenstine GLAM IMJ Project Coordinator shani. even@gmail. com

Part 1 An introduction to Wiki Projects around the world

Wikipedia’s Mission “to provide a free, high quality encyclopedia to every single person on the planet in their own language” Jimmy Wales, Jan 2011

Our Rules

Set Knowledge Free

By the People, For the People * Created by the public, worldwide * Mainted by the public, worldwide * Supported by the public, worldwide

Giving Back and Reaching Out: Wiki projects 1 - Strengthen the weak: Outreach Projects 2 – Make the strong even better: Wiki in the Academia & GLAM

1 – Outreach Wiki Projects The most general goal - to encourage the expansion of smaller language Wikipedias through advice, encouragement, and general assistance. • Empowering the “global south” via access to free knowledge. • Preserving cultural knowledge on the verge of extinction.

2 – Wiki in the Academia & GLAM

Quantity & Quality “content improves with more people involved. There are now 10. 000 very active editors. Many eyes checking and editing loads of information. System mistakes are fixed by the community. So, we want universities, research centers, professionals and specialists from different areas to become part of the community, sharing their experience. This will automaticly improve the quality”. Kul Wadhwa (UOC, Open University of Catalonia, 2010) Wikimedia Head of Bussiness Developement

Collaborations with Educational institutions • “Campus Ambassador” projects • More “expert” writers • Writing articles as an academic assignment: education the next generation.

Part 2

WHAT’S • GALLERIES • LIBRARIES • ARCHIVES • MUSEUMS , anyway?

Could it ever work. . ? WIKIPEDIA GLAMs § § § § © Texts and images Academicism Paid work Scientific Rigour Original research Vulnerable contributions Transmitting information Closed & reserved world § § § § Free and reusable texts Populism Volunteer work Questionable reliability Referenced sources Erasing promotional contents Is considered advertising Open and shared world

How Does My GLAM Benefit? • • It’s affordable (and usually free) E-volunteers from around the world More traffic back to your site A new platform to share your resources; which often falls in line with your mission • New energy to an often stale work in environment • Challenges traditional GLAM practices • The future is here, baby.

Comitted to collaborate Spreading knowledge reaching the maximum audience with the highest quality WIKIPEDIA § Free encyclopedia § Most consulted in the world § +250 active editions MUSEUMS § Expertise content § All knowledge areas

Equation GLAMs / Wikipedia GLAMs expertise Best User’s Service

GLAMs and Wikipedia: Axes accessibili ty Knowledge users quality cooperation

Ways to Collaborate • • • Creating a “Wikipedian-in-Residence” program Image & Media donation to Commons Coordinating GLAM outreach events Updating your Institution’s articles Using Wikipedia QR codes Sharing historical footage Allowing Wikimedians to digitally restore images Adding a Wikipedia citation template to your database Improving and using Wikipedia articles for an exhibition Improving the quality of OCR

Success Stories > The British Museum § Wikipedian in Residence § Hoxne Challenge § Feature Article Prize § School Translations project § One to one collaborations § Photos requested listings Photo: [[User: Klafubra]] - CC-BY-SA

> British Library § Editathon § Backstage Pass Photo: Mike Peel- Mikepeel. net - CC-BY-SA

> Palais de Versailles § Long-term Wikipedian in Residence Photo: Broken. Sphere / Wikimedia Commons

> Indianapolis Museum of Art § Museum and University § Wiki loves public Art § E-Volunteer program Photo: [[User: Opal Art Seekers]] - CC-BY-SA

> Brooklyn Museum § Wikipop: Ipads instead of labels, linking to Wikipedia entries

> Derbyshire Museums Curators editing Wikipedia “If our staff can share their knowledge with wikipedians, anyone will be able to learn more about our collections. ” Photo: Chris Harris - Public Domain Alan Grimadell Councillor of Derby's Museums

> The Narional Archives and Records Administration Major image donations to Wikimedia Commons

> Encyclopedia of Life § Smithsonian Institution § Harvard University § Sloan Foundation § Biodiversity Heritage Library § Natural History Museums Experts + volunteers = exponential amount of quality information

> Art Museum of Girona § El Gran dia de Girona (curators checking Wikipedia content)

> Crowdsourcing § Victoria & Albert Museum § Brooklyn Museum • § Wikipedia loves Art

> Wiki Loves Monuments § patrimoni. gencat – (Catalan government heritage listing ) § Alghero Towncouncil Photo: [[User: Beria]] - CC-BY-SA

> Museu Picasso Barcelona § Linking to wikipedia entries on museum’s official blog § Wikiproject: Museums Students from a Postgraduate Course in Museum Management creating museum-related entries on Catalan Wikipedia Photo: Conxa Rodà

This is a worldwide movement; And Israel just joined the party!

Part 3

Israel Joins the Global Effort • 09/2011 – GLAM IMJ Project The 1 st GLAM project in Israel: a collaboration between Wikimedia Israel & The Israel Museum, Jerusalem. • 12/2011 – GLAM NLI Project The National Library of Israel joins forces with Wikimedia Israel as well.

GLAM in Israel: Some Challenges • Increasing “GLAM awareness” within the Hebrew Wikipedia community • Creating “GLAM Awareness” within the general public, adding new editors to write specifically about GLAM-related issues. • Collaborating with more GLAMs as well as the Academic world.

Thanks you for Listening! Wikimedia Projects: From Africa to By Shani Evenstine GLAM IMJ Project Coordinator shani. even@gmail. com