These are good ideas, and thanks for getting the ball rolling. Back when we
were talking about the relative lack of library involvement in GLAM
activities on Wikipedia, I mentioned on the list that I think part of the
problem is messaging, because we tend to spotlight the GLAMs with massive
unique collections with activities like content donations and backstage
passes. A library may have some original materials, but the standard
library is simply a space where the public or scholars may go to satisfy
their information needs, and most librarians work at public libraries which
are not primarily about unique collections. This is actually a little odd
of us, when you think about it, considering Wikipedia is a tertiary
reference work and gives preference to secondary sources.
Though it could still use some help, I tried writing a nice-looking
librarian-specific WLL portal page, which could eventually be reworked into
a more general pitch librarians after WLL. Please take a look here:
http://outreach.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_Loves_Libraries
Last year, we ran site-wide notices for Wikipedia Loves Libraries, but they
pointed to a rather bare-bones Wikipedian-centric meetup page, not friendly
to librarians. This could be the page we point the librarians to in the
future. Feel free to edit it. I think it could use more links, and a second
look at the wording, which I wrote rather quickly.
Dominic
On 4 June 2012 19:13, Anne Britton <anne_britton(a)yahoo.com> wrote:
Great idea, Bob.
1. I think the phrasing of our email message should emphasize that pretty
much anything goes with respect to goals or formats for WLL participation.
We should be careful not to overdetermine how "WLL" might be interpreted.
2. That said, if we suggest possible event ideas in the email message, we
might include language that characterizes Wikipedia-editing as one of
today's must-have literacies. A library might hold a WLL event for
non-Wikipedians in order to highlight Wikipedia as a participatory
platform, "the encyclopedia anyone can edit," an everyday skill.
Anne
--- On *Mon, 6/4/12, Bob Kosovsky <bobkosovsky(a)nypl.org>* wrote:
From: Bob Kosovsky <bobkosovsky(a)nypl.org>
Subject: [libraries] Outreach to library staff
To: "Wikimedia & Libraries" <libraries(a)lists.wikimedia.org>
Date: Monday, June 4, 2012, 6:27 PM
[...]
So it's time to spring into action in order to prepare for Wikipedia Loves
Libraries 2012 (WLL). To start, I propose that we create an email message
to be posted to various library-related email lists notifying people of the
existence of and advantages of WLL. (When I say "library" I mean to be
inclusive of the other GLAM participants, although - for now - focusing on
library staff [who are not always "librarians"].)
[...]
I'm thinking of some kind of concise, direct, and appealing message that
lays out about 5 bullet points as to why library staff and libraries should
be involved in WLL. From there they can go to the Get Started page above.
Some of the points I'm thinking of are:
- Welcoming Wikipedians into your library can increase the number of
users
- Wikipedia activity in the library can foster a greater sense of
community
- As the 6th most frequently visited site on the Internet, Wikipedia
as the ability to highlight your library
- Wikipedia's underlying message of access to information can
underscore your library's efforts to provide access to patrons
- If your library has unique materials, Wikipedians can help reveal
knowledge and information about those materials
So how about it? Maybe someone can set up a planning space on
outreach.wikimedia.org so we can gather & organize our thoughts and share
them with others?
[...]
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