Presentation at Wikimania 2015. Wikipedia editing events aka edit-a-thons have many functions and goals. I see them as a channel to reach and influence GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums) professionals. The events can be a start for something bigger.

1. A Gateway Theory
How Edit-­‐a-­‐thons Can Lure Innocent
GLAMs into the World of Wiki
Sanna Hirvonen 17 July 2015
Wikimania 2015
TwiHer: @sannahirvonen
fiwiki: Sanahirviö

2. Helsinki
Finland
Where I come from
Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma
• Part of the Finnish NaRonal Gallery
• GLAMwiki projects since 2013
Wikimedia Finland
Board Member 2014
Photo: Finnish NaRonal Gallery /
Petri Virtanen CC BY-­‐SA 3.0

3. Edit-­‐a-­‐thons
An edit-­‐a-­‐thon (someRmes wriHen editathon) is an event where
editors get together to edit and improve a specific topic or type of
content, typically including basic ediRng training for new editors.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edit-­‐a-­‐thon

4. Kiasma Wikimaraton
Photos: Finnish NaRonal Gallery / Petri Virtanen CC BY-­‐SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
24 h edit-­‐a-­‐thon
organised by Kiasma and
Wikimedia Finland,
February 2013

5. Bring Culture to Wikipedia
Edit-­‐a-­‐thon course
6 gatherings,
October–
November 2014
Organised by
Wikimedia Finland
with
6 GLAM partners
and
Helsinki Summer
University
Photos: Teemu Perhiö CC BY 2.0

6. Kiasma Wikitriathlon
Photos: Teemu Perhiö CC BY 2.0
One-­‐day edit-­‐a-­‐thon organised by Kiasma
and Wikimedia Finland, March 2015

7. Next
• InternaRonal Women’s Day edit-­‐a-­‐thon, March
2016
– MulRple GLAM organisaRons, one locaRon, one
day

8. Where’s the value?

9. What GLAMs can benefit
• Engage their audiences
• Increase the understanding and appreciaRon
for their field of experRse
• Find new applicaRons and contexts for their
subject maHer
• Learn a more open and generous organisaRon
culture
• Build their brand by doing things that stand out

10. Value to Wikimedia
• ContribuRons during the event
• Spreading informaRon and increasing posiRve
percepRons of Wikimedia
• Building the community
• Reaching
and
influencing
GLAM
professionals

11. Why professionals maHer

12. GLAM professionals can
• make decisions about
opening data and
materials
• direct resources to new
events
• hire Wikipedians in
Residence
• spread posiRve
percepRons of
Wikimedia among their
peers
Photo: Teemu Perhiö CC BY 2.0

13. GLAM professionals
• need hands-­‐on
experience and
networks
to build their trust in
Wikimedia
Photo: Teemu Perhiö CC BY 2.0

14. Example: Bring Culture to Wikipedia
• Course for anyone who wanted to learn ediRng
and visit cultural insRtuRons behind the scenes
• Dozens of professionals got their first touch to
ediRng Wikipedia

15. Ajerwards
• All 6 partner organisaRons open to
collaboraRon, interested in new events,
content donaRons or a Wikipedian in
Residence
• Could
we
have
accomplished
this
without
edit-­‐a-­‐thons?

16. Collaborate and build on the
work of others

17. Collaborate
• Team up with other open data agents
• Present Wikimedia as part of a larger open
knowledge movement
• Build networks with organisaRons

18. Example: Open Culture Data
Masterclass
Course for GLAM
professionals by Open
Knowledge Finland,
the local Open GLAM
network AvoinGLAM,
and Aalto University
Photos: AvoinGLAM CC BY-­‐SA 2.0

19. GLAMs need to benefit

20. GLAMs are more and more goal oriented.
They do things that help them reach their
goals.
Wiki acRviRes are no excepRon.
Photo: Horia Varlan CC BY 2.0 via Flickr

21. Therefore
• Help GLAMs make open knowledge / wiki
projects their own.
• Offer professionals informaRon, hands-­‐on
experience and support.
• Find and support advocates inside the GLAM
sector.

22. Edit-­‐a-­‐thons

23. …are a good start.
Photo: Deutsche Fotothek CC BY-­‐SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

24. Further reading
• Kiasma Wikimaraton
wikimedia.fi/2013/02/05/wikimaraton-­‐at-­‐
kiasma/
• Bring Culture to Wikipedia edit-­‐a-­‐thon course
wikimedia.fi/2014/10/30/bringing-­‐cultural-­‐
heritage-­‐to-­‐wikipedia/
• Kiasma Wikitriathlon
wikimedia.fi/2015/04/02/wikitriathlon-­‐at-­‐
kiasma/