Some lessons learnt from projects that explore the possibilities of the Wikimedia platforms - Research indicates that the sources mostly used by non-professional information seekers to find factual information are Google and Wikipedia. Only a small percentage of information seekers still goes directly to traditional knowledge centres as libraries, archives and museum to find the information that they are looking. This situation forces knowledge centres to look for new ways to provide access to their collections and thus create value for their collection and institutional activities. A possible solution is the use of digital technology and a collaboration with third-party platforms to facilitate the access and (re)use of their information. This presentation presents some lessons learnt from projects that explore the possibilities of the Wikimedia platforms for memory institutions: sharing your authority with others, collaborating with the (Wikimedia) community and using technical platforms that are beyond your control. All projects were initiated by PACKED vzw in collaboration with Wikimedia Netherlands, Wikimedia België and a group of museums in Flanders. Speakers: Sam Donvil (PACKED vzw)

1. Some Lessons Learned from Projects that
Explore the Possibilities of the Wikimedia
Platforms
Sam Donvil | @PACKEDvzw
Digital Dreams 08.09.2017

2. The Wikimedia Ecosystem
“Imagine a world in which
every single human being
can freely share in the
sum of all knowledge.”
Vision of the Wikimedia
Foundation

4. Why Wikimedia?
● Highly visible
● Audience
○ Size
○ Diversity: Linking up with other
content
● Sustainable
● Non-profit
● Open culture philosophy
● Free:
○ Infrastructure with linked open
data potential
○ Support from Wikimedia
community
○ Condition: Open Licenses

5. Collaborating with Wikimedia Community
Flemish Art Collections:
● Data donation to Wikidata
● Data enrichment through Wikidata
Wiki Loves Art
● Crowdsourced photography competition
● Crowdsourced content through Wikipedia writing
sessions
Flemish performing arts
● Data donation to Wikidata
● Crowdsourced content through Wikipedia writing
sessions

6. Wikidata: Flemish art collections, Wikidata and
Linked Open Data

7. Collaborating with Wikimedians
● Datacleaning
● Data upload
● Data enrichment
Sandra Fauconnier, mage: Eneasmx,
CC-BY SA 4.0
Maarten Dammers, mage: Sarah
Stierch, CC-BY SA 4.0

8. Give and take: data moves in both directions

9. Wikidata offers some interesting tools for data
visualisation

10. Histropedia

11. Wiki Loves Art

16. Results
● Introduction Wikimedia Belgium and Heritage Sector and vice versa
● 16 photography sessions at 13 participating institutions
● Media coverage
● 3012 uploaded images
● Afterlife of Wiki Loves Art images:
https://tools.wmflabs.org/glamtools/glamorgan.html?&category=Images_from_Wiki_Loves_Art_Belgi
um_in_2016&depth=12&year=2016&month=1

18. 30 Tasses 30 jours 3D Printing Céramique émaillée, impression 3D Bernat Cuni, 2011 (1).jpg, 2016 CC-BY
SA 4.0, by Sam.Donvil, artwork: Bernat Cuni

20. Wiki Loves Art - Morlanwelz - Musée
Royal de Mariemont - Statuette de Vénus
sortant de l'onde (4).JPG, 2016 CC-BY
SA 4.0, by Romaine

23. Tetradrachme van Aetna (tweede kwart 5e eeuw v.C.) KBR 27-8-2016 11-45-16.) KBR 27-8-2016 11-
45-16.jpg, 2016 CC-BY SA 4.0, by Paul Hermans

26. Flemish Performing Arts on Wikimedia Platforms

27. Data Upload: Kunstenpunt Database to Wikidata

28. Wikipedia Writing sessions

29. Image Uploads

30. Lessons Learned
● Wikimedia platforms are not a free substitute for collections management systems
● Easy access point to much larger audiences
● Openness enables real audience engagement
● Opening up is a long term game (not simply project based)

31. Questions?
Sam Donvil | @PACKEDvzw
Digital Dreams 08.09.2017