Thank you by Adrianne Wadewitz for Wikimedia Foundation



As a kid, I had an expensive habit: books. I would read any book my parents bought me — and then beg for another. So they decided to save their bank account. They bought me .

That huge novel took me forever to finish, but I fell in love. In fifth grade, we were assigned to teach our classmates about any subject we chose. I lectured on nineteenth century literature.

Today, I’m an English professor. I also contribute to Wikipedia, editing articles about writers like Mary Shelley, the author of ', and ', who wrote .

When I think of my work on Wikipedia, I don't just think of myself as someone who adds information; I think of myself as a teacher. Through Wikipedia, my reach extends far beyond any classroom. In the past month alone, Wikipedia's article on Jane Austen has been viewed more than 144,000 times.

At my university, I have access to many quality resources. But most people can't access these sources; they’re hidden behind a paywall. By editing Wikipedia, I can help fix this injustice.

I love learning. I always have. Which is why I believe so strongly that it should be available to everyone.

Do you agree? Then please join me in supporting Wikipedia.

— Adrianne Wadewitz

''Adrianne’s research is focused on 18th century British literature. As a postdoc for Digital Learning and Research, she also assists her colleagues in finding new ways to integrate Wikipedia into their classrooms.''

Video Attribution: The Impact of Wikipedia - Adrianne Wadewitz by Victor Grigas, under CC-BY-SA 3.0 Unported, from Wikimedia Commons.

Image Attribution: Adrianne Wadewitz by Karen Sayre, under CC-BY-SA 3.0 Unported, from Wikimedia Commons.