Wikipedian in Residence is a role in which a Wikipedia editor, a Wikipedian, accepts a placement with an institution, typically a gallery, library, archive or museum (GLAM), to facilitate Wikipedia entries related to that institution, encourage and assist it to release material under open licences, and to develop the relationship between the institution and the Wikipedia community. The Wikipedian in Residence generally helps to coordinate GLAM events between the museums and the general public.
Institutions that have had a Wikipedian in Residence include the British Museum and the Derby Museum and Art Gallery in the UK; the Palace of Versailles in France; the Museu Picasso in Spain; and in the US, the Smithsonian Institution, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library, and the National Archives and Records Administration.
History
The first Wikipedian in Residence, Liam Wyatt, volunteered at the British Museum for a period of five weeks in 2010.[1] He noted the need for Wikipedia to strengthen partnerships with museums to create the most up-to-date and accurate information,[2] saying "we are doing the same thing for the same reason, for the same people, in the same medium. Let's do it together." The Children's Museum of Indianapolis became involved with the program after Wikipedian Lori Phillips volunteered for a GLAM event in 2010,[2]becoming the second Wikipedian in Residence. The third, Benoît Evellin, spent six months at the Palace of Versailles.[3] The Museu Picasso in Barcelona, Spain, and the Derby Museum and Art Gallery in the United Kingdom were also early adopters of the idea.[4][5] In 2010, the Smithsonian Institution expressed interest in hiring a Wikipedian in Residence, which eventually led to the hiring of Sarah Stierch.[6][7][8] The following year, the National Archives and Records Administration followed suit and hired a student from Simmons College to work at its Archives II location.[citation needed] In January of 2013, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library became the first Presidential library to hire a Wikipedian in Residence, when they hired Michael Barera, a master's student at the University of Michigan.[9]
References
- ^ Cohen, Noam (5). "Venerable British Museum Enlists in the Wikipedia Revolution". New York Times. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ^ a b "Museum Hires First Wikipedian-in-Residence". Indianapolis, Indiana: Insideindianabusiness.com. 19. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ^ GLAM Château de Versailles Project page
- ^ GLAM Museu Picasso Project page
- ^ GLAM Derby Project page
- ^ Cohen, Noam (12). "Success may be Wikipedia’s biggest challenge". Gdansk, Poland: Boston Globe. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ^ Switzer, Cody (28 July 2011). "Wikipedian-in-residence helps share Smithsonian archives". The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ^ Shen, Aviva (2012-04-04). "How many women does it take to change Wikipedia?". Smithsonianmag.com. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ^ Kaczmarczyk, Jeffrey (17). "President Gerald R. Ford Library and Museum appoints its first Wikipedian in Residence". Grand Rapids, Michigan: Michigan Live LLC. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
External links
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