Page:Wikipedia and Academic Libraries.djvu/159

146 citations and content. The National Library of Medicine (NLM), which is part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), is the world’s largest biomedical library and repository of digital and print health information resources. NNLM serves as an outreach arm of NLM focused on consistent and innovative engagement with both individuals and organizations, delivery of specialized trainings, and facilitation of health-focused events.

NNLM’s #CiteNLM campaigns dovetail nicely with two goals of NNLM and NLM. First, part of NNLM’s mission is to improve the public’s access to information to enable them to make informed decisions about their health (NNLM, Mission and Goals, para 1, n.d.-b). Although NLM is known for its digital resources (e.g., PubMed and MedlinePlus), a huge proportion of Internet users seek health information on websites like Wikipedia, making it an important resource for libraries providing health information to be aware of and familiar with. Much of NNLM’s work aims to promote health equity and informed decision-making by increasing digital health literacy. Improving the reliability of Wikipedia’s health pages is one way to meet Internet users where they are already comfortable looking for health information online for themselves and their families. NNLM believes that if it applies its human resources to enhancing Wikipedia articles, new partners will engage with NNLM’s work and more of the public will be reached by the broad spectrum of NLM’s health information resources.

Second, NNLM and NLM also have a formal commitment to promoting and supporting citizen science and crowdsourcing activities (NNLM, Crowdsourcing, para 1, n.d.-a). NNLM works to encourage community participation in the entire scientific research process via training for information professionals and collaboration with organizations working in this eld. While these activities have reached a wide variety of audiences, academic libraries have been particularly strong partners, especially in #CiteNLM campaigns. Wikipedia editing is a form of crowdsourcing and an avenue for public participation in the dissemination of high-quality research and health information. As of December 2020, over 400 individuals across the country have