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Wikipedia:GLAM/MGS/Final summary and reflection

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Museums Galleries Scotland Wikimedian in Residence Final Summary & Reflections report


Background

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A Wikimedian in Residence is a Wikimedia editor based with an organisation or group of organisations, usually a GLAM (Gallery, Library, Archive or Museum) with the aim of increasing the quality and volume of content on the encyclopedia and associated Wikiprojects concerning the organisation(s) collection. Museums Galleries Scotland is a charity and development body for the museum sector; it works with more than 400 institutions based in Scotland.

Wikimedia UK had been working with MGS for several years discussing a potential project, and finally in 2014 set the project up, after MGS had applied to Wikimedia UK to partner on this activity. The process was successful and Wikimedia UK was happy to partner with MGS to deliver a year long residency. The overarching idea for the project was to use the MGS network to reach many institutions and help them engage with open knowledge. It was felt that the project would be more successful it if started with a secondment in a particular institution, so that the resident could first engage with an organisation on the ground level, and apply that learning to other museums in the network. The result of this was the four-month secondment to Glasgow Museums. The resident, Sara Thomas was embedded with the Kelvin Hall team at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum for 2.5 days per week during the period 26 January 2015–30 May 2015. The Summary & Reflections report for this element of the residency can be found here.

Following the secondment, the resident moved to work from the Edinburgh office of MGS, again for 2.5 days per week, making contact with those organisations who had shown interest in the residency during the secondment, and then using MGS' network to identify other organisations who would be interested in pursuing open knowledge work. Throughout the residency there was a great deal of advocacy work carried out, and attention paid to increasing the sphere of influence and connection. The Summary & Reflections report for this second phase of the residency, which ran from 1 June 2015 - 31 January 2016 can be found here.

The third phase of the residency ran from 1 February 2016 - 2 July 2016, with the resident working 3 days a week. The final months were short due to funding and annual leave requirements, however the focus was on the completion of particular projects.

This report will focus on the third phase of the residency, and update final statistics. This report should be read in association with the Secondment Summary & Reflections Report and the 12 month report.

Aims and objectives of residency

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As a networked residency, working across the Scottish museums sector, this residency was quite different from most others. Primarily, throughout the residency, there was a greater focus upon advocacy and attitudinal/culture change than content development.

Outcomes

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WMUK outcomes relevant to this Residency as set out in the WiR Agreement:

  • G1: Develop Open Knowledge
  • G2a: Develop, involve and engage WMUK volunteers
  • G3: Reduce barriers to accessing open knowledge
  • G5: Develop, support & engage with other Wikimedia & Open Knowledge communities

These outcomes are mapped to more specific outcomes in the below table.

WMUK Museums Galleries Scotland
G1: Develop Open Knowledge G1.1 help Scottish museums increase the quality of the existing open knowledge surrounding their collections.
G1.2 assist museums to make more open knowledge available through various channels and projects,
G1.3 work specifically with the Recognised Collections to make more open knowledge and images available through Wikipedia and their own websites licence free.
G2a: Develop, involve & engage WMUK volunteers
G2a.1 encourage and assist museum curators to become competent WMUK volunteers.
G2a.2 assist museum curators to help share their expert collections knowledge with other WMUK volunteers.
G2a.3 Work with other Scottish voluntary organisations to involve them where relevant in open data projects taking place in Scottish museums and galleries.
G3: Reduce barriers to accessing open knowledge G3.1 we will improve awareness of the benefits of open knowledge through education within the Scottish museum sector.
G3.2 we will actively work with a range of partners including the Scottish Government to help inform, develop and deliver a strategic action plan for responsible use of open data in Scottish museums.
G5: Develop, support and engage with other Wikimedia & Open Knowledge Communities G5.1 participate and encourage membership to the Scottish DigitaI Transformation Network.
G5.2 encourage partnership projects between Scottish museums to release their metadata licence free through API or other sources.

Positive influencing factors for success in the residency

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  • Momentum built up over the course of the residency meant that there was a good deal of interest in further projects, however many could not be pursued due to time & funding constraints.
  • Being able to offer training for free significantly increased take up, especially for those organisations with limited budget, or who were particularly remote and for whom travel costs would have been prohibitive.
  • Continued appetite for digital learning within the sector.

Negative influencing factors against success in the residency

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  • Fear & uncertainty surrounding open licensing and copyright; ownership of images and decisions surrounding commercialisation of collections.
  • Limited time frame of project limited follow up work with organisations who had shown interest earlier in the residency.

Outputs

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In the third phase of the residency:

  • 7 Editathons
  • 5 training sessions / workshops
  • 4 speaking engagements
  • 11 new cultural institutions or groups (presentations to conferences counted as 1 group)
  • 285 recorded contact points

This gives a total for the entire residency of:

  • 19 editathons
  • 21 training sessions
  • 27 speaking engagements
  • 90 cultural institutions (roughly)
  • 983 recorded contact points

Users and content

In the third phase of the residency:

  • 115 individuals trained
  • 97 new users
  • 43 new articles created
  • 233 articles improved
  • 39 images uploaded

This gives a total for the entire residency of:

  • 347 individuals trained
  • 281 new users
  • 110 new articles created
  • 336 articles improved
  • 277 images uploaded

Statistics

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Events & Presentations

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Editathons & Training events

Event Date Location Attendees New users Gender breakdown
Wikipedia for Postgraduates & Researchers 10 February 2016 University of St Andrews 13 12 38% female
Wikipedia for Museums, Training for Museums Studies Class 10 February 2016 University of St Andrews 18 18 (16 recorded) 100 % female
ILW Editathon 16-18 Feb 2016 University of Edinburgh See University of Edinburgh Wiki project page
CILIP training event 26 Feb 2016 Edinburgh Central Library 4 3 75% female
Art + Feminism - Modern Scottish Women #2 5 March 2016 Scottish National Portrait Gallery 6 1 83% female
21 Revolutions Editathon 30 March 2016 Glasgow Women's Library 4 4 100% female
Introduction to Wikipedia and Groam House Editathon #1 11 May 2016 Groam House Museum, Rosemarkie 4 3 50% female
Art+Feminism Still Invisible Editathon Session 1 25 May 2016 CCA, Glasgow / Glasgow School of Art 9 7 89% female
Art+Feminism Still Invisible Editathon Session 2 25 May 2016 CCA, Glasgow / Glasgow School of Art 10 8 100% female
Introduction to Wikimedia - Western Isles, Stornoway Tuesday 21 June 2016 Lews Castle College / Museum nan Eilean, Stornoway 4 3 25% female
Introduction to Wikimedia - Western Isles, Benbecula Monday 20 June 2016 Museum nan Eilean, Sgoil Lionacleit, Benbecula 3 3 100% female
Protests & Suffragettes: Strong Women of the Clydeside Editathon Saturday 2 July 2016 Glasgow Women's Library 11 11 100% female

Presentations & conferences

Event Name Date Location / Organiser Attendees (approx) Title Slides
Playing with method, planning for impact 22 March 2016 National Museum of Scotland / Digital Cultural Heritage Research Network 30 A year in Wikimedia: Open Knowledge & Scotland's Museums
SLIC Digital Champions Meeting 29 March 2016 Mitchell Library, Glasgow / Scottish Library and Information Council 40 The Library & Wikimedia
#OER16: Open Culture 19 & 20 April 2016 University of Edinburgh 25 Opening Scotland: Museums Galleries Scotland’s Wikimedian in Residence & the diversification of engagement.
Edinburgh Digital Meetup 14 April 2016 Edinburgh Digital Meetup 40 Opening Scotland: Open on a Shoestring
University of Glasgow: Learning & Teaching Conference 12 April 2016 University of Glasgow 14 Beyond the Encyclopedia: Wikipedia as learning & teaching tool

Organisations reached

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GLAMs & associated organisations - direct contact, training, events, content upload

Organisation Type of contact County
Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals Training Scotland-wide
Scottish Libraries & Information Council Advice given on running editathons Scotland-wide
Scottish National Portrait Gallery follow up editathon Edinburgh
Glasgow Women's Library 2 editathons Glasgow
Groam House Museum Meeting with board, training, policy development Highland
Glasgow School of Art Editathon Glasgow
Museum nan Eilean Training Eilean Siar
Highlanders Museum Meeting & discussion re: digital access to collections Highland
Digital Cultural Heritage Research Network Presentation given Edinburgh
Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders Museum Advice given to student Stirling
Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art Editathon held with Glasgow School of Art US
Greenwood Conference Centre Library Advice given concerning editathons North Ayrshire

GLAMs reached but where level of contact is below training - e.g presentation, follow up discussions, but no further action taken.

Organisation Notes
University of Dundee, Dentistry Department Student put in contact with previously-trained individual in the museum service
Fruitmarket Gallery Discussions held around digital in museums & galleries context
Greenwood Conference Centre Library, North Ayrshire Advice given concerning editathons

Universities - conferences & training

Institution Type of contact
University of Glasgow Presentation given at conference, following on from earlier contact
University of St Andrews Training given to Museums Studies students, & Physics Postgrads & Researchers
University of Edinburgh Assistance given with ILW Editathon, supporting new WiR
University of the Highlands & Islands Discussion concerning a presentation; not pursued due to time commitments

Other

  • Govan's Hidden Histories - partner for Strong Women of the Clydeside editathon
  • Edinburgh Digital Meetup - presentation given
  • DigIt!


Content creation

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Event Date New accounts created New articles created Articles improved Images uploaded
Wikipedia for Museums, Museums Studies at the University of St Andrews Wednesday 10 February
  1. user:Hsycamore123
  2. user:BrittHild
  3. user:JGoo
  4. user:COVIET
  5. user:Alietzsche
  6. user:biancajadepackham
  7. user:ep68
  8. user:MEB26
  9. user:Menandre
  10. user:Alicec5.ac98
  11. user:Fleurtjuhh36
  12. LuciaN22
  13. user:Cassidycaj
  14. user:littlesoooda
  15. User:Liyichen v
  16. user:dsdray
n/a
  1. Hambleton, Lancashire
  2. Gorey
  3. St Mark's Basilica
  4. William M'Intosh
n/a
Wikipedia for postgraduates and researchers training session at the University of St Andrews Wednesday 10 February
  1. User:TomStAndrews
  2. User:Viche
  3. User:Natasha-2016
  4. User:Maximejjacquet
  5. user:Mv226
  6. User:Awadauc
  7. User:MikeKesby
  8. User:BenBenOcho
  9. User:Sgs1807
  10. User:Pash992005
  11. user:iremuna
  12. user:lordbjizzi
n/a
  1. Human geography
  2. Orbital angular momentum of light
  3. Kelin‎
  4. University of Ibadan
  5. Windygates
  6. Leven, Fife
n/a
CILIP training event Friday 26 February
  1. Eunicebridgewilliams
  2. Seanmac2424
  3. Borges001
n/a
  1. Elspeth Buchan
  2. Scottish Poetry Library
  3. Liz Lochhead
  4. Henry Dyer
  5. Danse Macabre
n/a
Art + Feminism - Modern Scottish Women #2 5 March 2016
  1. Steffi17
  1. Stansmore Dean Stevenson
  2. Anne Finlay
  3. Helen Biggar
  4. Gwynneth Holt
  5. Bet Low
  6. Josephine Haswell Miller
  1. Isabel Brodie Babianska
  2. Mary Nicol Neill Armour
  3. Pat Douthwaite
  4. Cecile Walton
  5. Helen Paxton Brown
  6. Philip Connard
  7. Glasgow School
  8. Académie Colarossi
n/a
21 Revolutions Editathon 30 March 2016
  1. PollyTurner
  2. Lovelacepullinger
  3. GlasgowCeridwen
  4. Lmw1964
  1. Leela Soma
  2. Kirsty Logan
  3. Letitia Chitty
  1. Muriel Gray
  2. Tiny Hardcore Press
  3. Louise Welsh
  4. Zoë Strachan
  5. Isobel Wylie Hutchison

14 Images from Glasgow Women's Library.

University of Glasgow: Learning & Teaching Conference 12 April 2016
  1. user:Megbrown29
  2. user:MeloGlasgow
  3. user:RFletcher
  4. user:EdiTardigrade
  5. user:Ghwm1
  6. user:Eva Mu
  7. user:Jayne.Orr
  8. user:BruceSom
  9. user:Rowandales
  10. user:JulieMiao
  11. user:CJD1
  12. user:Broadbean1
  13. user:Scotsh1
n/a
  1. Jordanhill School
  2. Cheltenham
  3. Trembling Bells
n/a
Introduction to Wikipedia and Groam House Editathon #1 11 May 2016
  1. Dougm4547
  2. Whiteslug
  3. Mortonad1532
n/a
  1. Avoch
  2. Celtic Art
  3. George Bain (artist)
  4. Rosemarkie Stone
25 images added in the commons:category:Images from Groam House Museum
Art+Feminism Still Invisible Editathon 25 May 2016
  1. Ecroc
  2. Frankie978
  3. HLeaper
  4. EvaTompson
  5. Vglasgow
  6. Vanillawafer
  7. Jennybrownrigg
  8. JJHeb
  9. AliceMS 18
  10. Zoemariathomas
  11. Woodcock12
  12. Dr Katie J T Herrington
  13. Hosmeriana
  14. Gokotta
  15. AMSB1900
  1. Daphne Haldin
  2. Bess Norriss
  3. Ivy Gardner Proudfoot
  1. Frances MacDonald
  2. Tina Gray
  3. Sybil Andrews
  4. Statue of Yuriy Dolgorukiy, Moscow
  5. Ann Macbeth
  6. Jenny Gilbertson
  7. Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh
  8. Rachel Maclean
  9. Kate Downie
  10. Christina Ramberg
  11. Winifred Knights
  12. St John's Wood Art School
  13. Winsor & Newton
  14. Flora Macdonald Reid
  15. Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll
  16. Rhoda Garrett
n/a
Introduction to Wikimedia - Western Isles, Benbecula 20 June 2016
  1. NorthUist
  2. SouthUist
  3. Tarasaigh
n/a
Introduction to Wikimedia - Western Isles, Stornoway 21 June 2016
  1. MairiOrd
  2. RhysDPritchard
  3. Angusmurray2016
n/a n/a
Protests & Suffragettes: Strong Women of the Clydeside 2 July 2016
  1. Aagordon6
  2. Leveritt25
  3. Catherinemary1989
  4. RiotsNotDiets
  5. TuffDuff
  6. Annie Crabtree
  7. Roona Simpson
  8. Anne3rdi
  9. Elloelaylola
  10. Wummin1
  11. GovanRedSkirts
  1. Lady Dinah Elizabeth Pearce
  2. The Women's Peace Crusade
  3. Glasgow Women's Housing Association
  4. Margaret Macgregor
  5. South Govan Women's Housing Association
  6. Sheffield Film Cooperative
  1. Helen Crawfurd
  2. Agnes Dollan
  3. Mary Barbour
  4. Mary Laird
  5. Gallery of Modern Art
  6. Eva Gore-Booth
  7. Charlotte Despard
  8. Ethel Snowden
  9. Jessie Stephen
n/a

Major achievements

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Questionnaire designed during Sara Thomas's Wikimedian Residency at Museums Galleries Scotland, to assess the impact of contact with the residency on the GLAM in question.
  • The number of new users trained in the third phase of the residency, and indeed overall, is a significant achievement.
  • The engagement with Groam House Museum was the culmination of a great deal of work and provided a near textbook example of small-GLAM partnership working with Wiki. The period of work resulted in vertical buy-in throughout the organisation, content upload, and a draft open licensing policy was created and submitted to the board of directors for approval. More information on the Groam House work, including details of the outputs and outcomes, can be found here.
  • Also as part of the Groam House work, a set of questionnaires was created which provided a template for benchmarking the efficacy and impact of Wiki work with GLAMs. This template has been made available on Commons.

Responses and recommendations

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Reflections & Recommendations for WMUK

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  • As previously discussed, more formal, stewarded connections between residents would be appreciated.
  • Support from WMUK in general greatly appreciated.

Reflections & Recommendations for MGS

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  • It was a pleasure to work with MGS and I'm very sorry to have left them! Being able to access their network gave an incredible opportunity to work at a sector-wide level.
  • The state of the sector does seem to indicate that this project could be repeated in future, with perhaps more success around content release and adopting of open licensing policies.