GLAM Boot Camp 2013 was a 3-day training workshop for Wikipedians interested in gaining the knowledge and skills necessary to assist with GLAM-Wiki projects. It was organized jointly by Wikimedia DC and the National Archives, and was held at the National Archives in Washington D.C. on April 26–28. Sessions were led by Wikipedians experienced in working with cultural institutions on past partnerships. The purpose of GLAM Boot Camp was to enlarge the pool of Wikipedians working on GLAM projects by bringing into the fold Wikipedians who were interested but not yet involved. Travel expenses were covered for all attendees to allow for greater participation from Wikimedians all around the United States (or possibly North America)!
At Wikimania 2008, Phoebe Ayers, James Forrester, Liam Wyatt, Austin Hair, and Andrew Lih met with the Alexandria Library staff.
GLAM-Wiki (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums) is an effort by members of the Wikimedia community to bring the resources of cultural institutions to Wikimedia. We seek to improve the content of Wikipedia and its sister projects through direct outreach to cultural institutions in order to encourage them to contribute content and expertise. This could be making a first contact with an institution, helping with an image/media upload, or helping to coordinate an event. However, GLAM-Wiki is also a project that takes place on-wiki involving Wikimedians in working in various ways with the contributions of cultural institutions. That might mean writing new Wikipedia content, organizing article collaborations on Wikipedia, categorizing Commons images, transcribing pages on Wikisource, and so on.
The main difference between GLAM-Wiki and other WikiProjects is that it seeks not just to meet the needs of Wikipedia, but to meet the needs of Wikipedia while also sustaining a mutually beneficial relationship with the contributing cultural institution. That does not mean that it is about promoting any particular institution through Wikipedia, and the more experienced community members we can get involved in GLAM-Wiki through projects like this, the less likely that is to happen.
The idea for GLAM Boot Camp was one of the outcomes of GLAMcamp London, where it was discussed that GLAMcamps are for sharing best practices among experienced GLAM Wikipedians, but there was no event devoted to helping established Wikipedians become GLAM Wikipedians. A shortage of manpower is one of the issues facing the GLAM-Wiki initiative, and this event is intended to address it.
If you are an experienced Wikipedian interested in the GLAM-Wiki concept but have not gotten involved before, this is for you. GLAM Boot Camp will introduce you to the basic concepts, whether you'd like to assist our projects on-wiki or go out and help start a new partnership with a cultural institution. It is intended primarily for absolute GLAM beginners. While we will sometimes be talking about outreach, the aim of GLAM Boot Camp is to increase the diversity (in terms of Wikimedia experiences) of GLAM-Wiki participants. GLAM-Wiki is a project that depends on the support and participation of the broader Wikipedia community in order to make collaborations successful. Much of the past GLAM-Wiki work has been done by volunteers engaging in real-world outreach, but there is now also a major need for on-wiki organizers and content writers to help sustain those partnerships being created through person-to-person contact with cultural institution professionals. So, we would like to have attendees from many different corners of Wikimedia, including those with WikiProject experience, featured or good article writers, bot coders, Wikisourcerors and Commonists, or with other niches.
To get an idea of some of the topics that will be discussed, click "show" to expand the table for the planned program for the event. The program is still being developed.
Morning refreshments, logistics, and getting to know each other. What are we here for?
An overview of how museums, archives, and libraries work, including a discussion of the principles of cultural professionals and a look at typical institutional mission statements. Participants will learn how to communicate to institutions in their own language and with sensitivity to their needs.
A brief introduction to GLAM-Wiki, including what it is and where it is going. This will include an overview of its development, past and ongoing partnerships, and how the GLAM-Wiki community works: on-wiki, on mailing lists, and internationally.
What does a GLAM-Wiki partnership look like? This time will be spent walking through the steps of a typical collaborative project to allow participants to better visualize the process as it occurs both online and on-site.
A practical introduction to editing Wikimedia Commons and how to run GLAM projects on it. This will include a frank discussion of the community and its practices, as well as a hands-on lesson in uploading, categorization, templates, metadata, and copyright.
Saturday
Time
9:00–10:30
10:30–12:30
12:30–1:30
1:30–2:30
2:30–3:30
3:30–4:00
4:00–5:00
6:00–
Topic
Group discussion: Integrating GLAM-Wiki with Wikipedia
How can each of us, as Wikipedians, better integrate GLAM projects with the Wikipedia community? On a practical level, we will discuss how GLAM projects can participate in DYK, FA, WikiProjects, and other Wikipedia processes and subcommunities. On a more general level, how can we each bring the ethos of GLAM-Wiki and being welcoming to cultural institutions to our corner of Wikimedia?
A presentation of the essential tools for any GLAM Wikipedian, including metrics on Toolserver and elsewhere and documentation on Outreachwiki.
A tutorial on GLAM-Wiki concepts, including pre-existing event types (e.g.: backstage pass tour, editathon, Wikipedia takes X), model partnership activities (e.g.: mass upload, article collaborations/contests, QRpedia), and related efforts (e.g.: WLM, education, WALRUS).
Tips and tricks for organizing Wikipedia events, including meetup pages, geonotices, talk page notices, and how to find your local community on Wikipedia. Also, practical considerations of event planning
A practical introduction to editing Wikisource and how to run GLAM projects on it. This will include a discussion of the community's practices and policies, as well as a hands-on lesson in uploading, transcribing, and formatting.
Each of you comes to this boot camp with your own experiences, skills, and interests. Having learned all the basics of GLAM-Wiki, this is your chance to discuss what you would like to accomplish, and to suggest new ideas that haven't yet been tried. Sharing your perspective is an important part of the process.
Understanding how to apply for grants for events, travel, conferences, or other expenses will ensure you are as successful in whatever activities you might like to participate in or organize in the future.
How do we talk to GLAM institutions about conflict of interest? What can and can't they do—and what can and can't we do, as GLAM Wikipedians? How does paid editing change the equation? This will be a facilitated discussion including real past examples.
Copyright, the issue that is always lurking in every GLAM interaction. This will be a crash course in free licensing and copyright on Wikipedia, as well as a discussion of copyright from the GLAM perspective—and how to talk to GLAMs about copyright.
Wrap-up and any concluding thoughts from the participants.
VIDEO: Archivist of the US, David Ferriero, speaks to attendees of GLAM Wiki US 2013 Boot CampWikipedia Weekly Audio Podcast, Episode 94 from GLAM Wiki Boot Camp DC. See the full podcast page.
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it.
Worked to eliminate redundancy between various GLAM portals (English Wikipedia, Outreach Wiki, etc.)
Participants discussed ways to improve the promotional "one-pager"
Andrew Lih recorded an episode for his Wikipedia Weekly Audio Podcast
Decided that we should consolidate WikiProject Tagging into task forces on a template.
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