Wikimedia Projects:From Africa to

Digital Heritage ConferenceVan Leer Institute, Jerusalem

By Shani EvenstineGLAM 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

* Maintainted 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 , anyway?

• GALLERIES

• LIBRARIES

• ARCHIVES

• MUSEUMS

Could it ever work?..

GLAMs

© Texts and images Academicism Paid work Scientific Rigour Original research Vulnerable

contributions Transmitting

information Closed & reserved

world

WIKIPEDIA

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.

  WIKIPEDIA

Free encyclopedia Most consulted in the world

+250 active editions

MUSEUMS

Expertise content All knowledge areas

Comitted to collaborate

Spreading knowledge reaching the maximum

audience with the highest quality

Equation GLAMs / Wikipedia

GLAMsexpertise

Best User’sService

GLAMs and Wikipedia: Axes

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 listingsPhoto: [[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: BrokenSphere / 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.”  Alan Grimadell

Councillor of Derby's Museums

Photo: Chris Harris - Public Domain

>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 amountof 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 1st GLAM project in Israel: a

collaboration between Wikimedia Israel & The Israel Museum, Jerusalem.

• 12/2011 – GLAM NLI ProjectThe 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 EvenstineGLAM IMJ Project Coordinator

shani.even@gmail.com