Samantha Dodd, University of Texas at Arlington

October 5, 2018, 2:15pm-3:15pm, KU Burge Union

Hosting a Wikipedia edit-a-thon is daunting, especially when you have no experience or knowledge of how to interact on the world’s fifth most visited website. The key to finding success in developing a Wikipedia program is through finding the community of librarians already using Wikipedia. The GLAM-Wiki initiative “helps cultural institutions share their resources with the world through collaborative projects with experienced Wikipedia editors.” Members of the community are welcoming and eager to help. Through the GLAM-Wiki initiative, I have been able to connect with several wikipedians from around the country. These experienced editors have assisted with everything from editing tips and tricks, to advice on programming and outreach. Members of the project continue to provide support, resources, and guidance. Projects like Wikipedia + Libraries Better Together strive to bring together libraries and Wikipedia to expand access to authoritative information. Wikipedia is an opportunity to develop research workshops, information literacy sessions, editing events and tutorials. The GLAM community is an entry point into the wiki-verse, and a tremendous resource for anyone looking to engage in digital scholarship.