Wikipedia + Libraries: Better Together
African American Photographs Assembled for 1900 Paris Exposition - "Five Women Officers of Women's League, Newport, R.I." Public domain, Library of Congress Catalog.
Amplify Stories
Libraries hold the key to many stories that may not be available or easily accessible on the open web. Library staff can bring these stories to light through Wikipedia editing and advocacy programs. By editing and organizing Wikipedia-related engagement, libraries can elevate stories that matter to their communities.
Librarians are helping local histories, thematic collections, and topics about historically under-represented groups gain the attention they deserve. Wikipedia and libraries share a common goal: to provide free access to knowledge for everyone.
“I edit almost exclusively articles about women. I edit Wikipedia to dig people out of history.”
– Susan Barnum, El Paso Public Library
Susan Barnum, El Paso Public Library, presents on September 27, 2017, during the OCLC Wikipedia + Libraries course on why she edits and how she amplifies stories.
Learn how libraries are amplifying stories with Wikipedia
Librarians Who Wikipedia: Susan Barnum
Interview / WebJunction
Susan Barnum is using Wikipedia to elevate stories that are buried in archives, allowing information-seekers to stumble across them, and the resources they are based upon. She focuses on women's history around the world. In March 2018, she was named a Library Journal Mover & Shaker for her advocacy work with Wikipedia.
Wiki Education Foundation Scholar Archivist: Danielle Robichaud
Interview / Wiki Education Foundation
A digital archivist at University of Waterloo libraries improves the article on the Canadian Indian residential school system as an intentional act of reconciliation. She uses McMaster University's resources to expand and enhance articles.
Librarians Who Wikipedia: Paul Flagg
Interview / WebJunction
Paul focuses his editing and outreach activities on improving Wikipedia’s coverage of social diversity. "When people of differing perspectives gather sources and contribute, this increases the range of representations in society."
Librarians Who Wikipedia: Andrea Davis and Christina Moretta
Interview / WebJunction
Librarians in San Francisco hosted a local Wikipedia program and encourage editing to connect the public to reliable sources of information about queer history in San Francisco—and they attracted first-time patrons to the library.
Read more stories from the library about how librarians are using, editing, and teaching Wikipedia in their libraries.
How to do this at your library
Explore the full training curriculum to get started editing and teaching Wikipedia in your library.
Training curriculum
Access the full training curriculum to learn how to confidently use, edit, and teach Wikipedia at your library.
Webinars
View webinars that explore the ways librarians are using and contributing to Wikipedia.
Learn more
Learn about the Wikipedia + Libraries: Better Together project's history and activities.
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Project funders
This project was made possible with funding from:
