Page:Bringing Wikimedians into the Conversation at Libraries.pdf/9

 collaborating with the Public Library Network in Catalonia, the Catalan community has involved over 200 libraries in their Bibliowikis initiative. The model for the collaboration is a simple one: librarians run programs that involve the local public and those librarians train other librarians on developing that kind of programming in their own context. Program models include basic Wikipedia editing workshops, and a number of activities that promote local history and culture, such as photo-scavenger hunts and local book clubs writing about local authors and regional history. Amical Wikimedia (the Catalan-language Wikimedia Affiliate) provides very little support to get the libraries started in activities: documentation and trying to find a regionally available volunteer for the librarians to collaborate with. Once the activities start at a local library, they typically develop other local volunteers who can help support and provide energy for local projects.

Unlike already-committed Wikimedians, who will frequently show up to events just because it’s Wikimedia-related, we have found that involving a broader volunteer community works best with thematic focuses. These focuses offer simpler communication strategies (i.e., “filling a gap on Wikipedia”) and elicit better public interest than offering “learn about Wikipedia” programs.

These themes can fit closely the institutional objectives of the GLAM hosting the activities:

Picking one of these tactics can excite an existing community and provides a motivating draw for volunteers to be engaged in the project and therefore with the library’s collections. Moreover, ——————————