Wikipedia talk:Visiting Scholars

Wikipedia Visiting Scholar requirements

A section to discuss what qualifications we'd like to see in a successful Wikipedia Visiting Scholar candidate. Thresholds could include length of involvement with Wikimedia projects, edit count, and content creation experience. Please let us know your ideas. The Interior (Talk) 17:44, 16 October 2013 (UTC)[reply]

I do not think "edit count" is really going to be a major issue as activity and skills are more distinguishing. Quality over quantity, but length of experience would be more of an issue here. My own research and work has been halted by the loss of access to such materials, but it goes without saying that a dedicated and hard working Wikipedian would be able to do a lot given the proper backing. ChrisGualtieri (talk) 11:30, 28 October 2013 (UTC)[reply]

It takes at least a few hundred edits or significant content contributions to at least 15-20 pages would be minimums for the understanding the main intricacies for contribution. I think the online ambassador criteria at Wikipedia:Education_program/Ambassadors/Join would be a good foundation for the criteria here. Sadads (talk) 18:36, 4 November 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Do they have to be US citizens / US work permit holders? Shyamal (talk) 04:02, 25 January 2014 (UTC)[reply]

OCLC link?

www.oclc.org/config is not a valid link at OCLC. And I had difficulty finding references to "Eswitch" on its site. Jeremy Butler 11:26, 22 April 2014 (UTC)

Hi Jeremy, The link is to the now renamed 'WorldCat KnowledgeBase API': http://www.oclc.org/developer/develop/web-services/worldcat-knowledge-base-api.en.html

About taking on a visiting scholar, I'd be more than happy to chat with you and tell you all about what's involved or answer any questions you have. Cheers! Ocaasi^{t | c} 16:12, 22 April 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks for the additional info. I'll email you about getting my university involved with this project. Regards, --Jeremy Butler 19:57, 22 April 2014 (UTC)

This sentence needs help

Partners participate in a pilot where the articles visible on Wikipedia pages—those the visiting Editor/Scholar is creating but also potentially other articles visible on a Wikipedia page—with links that point back to resources in the library collection or in other open source collections in the library community.Doyle doyle (talk) 15:38, 3 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Agree. If one subtracts the parenthetical material between the dashes, the clause beginning with "where" needs a predicate. Rags (talk) 22:47, 23 November 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Question

I'm currently volunteering at the Library of Virginia and part of my position there is related to Wikipedia. (Factchecking, trying to see if the LVA's stuff could be used as a RS, creating related pages, etc.) I've been wanting to get them somewhat more involved with Wikipedia but for the most part I'm pretty much the only person there that's really Wikipedia savvy. In any case, my question is this: if I can get them to put in for an open position, could I just be automatically given that position since I'm already serving in that capacity? I'd still submit a CV and go through the technical motions, but it'd essentially be a position opened up with the idea that I'd be given this position. My main worry is that this might not be fair to someone else who may want to apply since I don't really think that the LVA would be entirely interested in having someone else do this, especially if it's someone they may not be able to have face to face contact with. I'm not sure that I really have the time to be a Wikipedian in Residence necessarily, although I suppose that this is an option. (The LVA is eager to work with Wikipedia but so far it's mostly tentative baby steps like adding sources and articles.) Tokyogirl79 (｡◕‿◕｡) 07:56, 8 July 2015 (UTC)[reply]

@Tokyogirl79: Awesome for taking the initiative and setting up GLAM-Wiki activities with the LVA :) There should be no boundaries in making your position a "Visiting Scholar" position, if it a) allows you extended library privileges (for most of our libraries, this means, typically a) remote access to digital databases and b)Inter-library loan support) and b) has a particular topical focus to expand (the trade off is access for public knowledge improvement). However, the editing activities you are talking about, sound more like what we are encouraging with WP:TWL/I (of course that is focused on inexperienced editors); it would be great to figure out a way for the LVA (or you) to coordinate a small class of interns both at LVA and with some of its partner libraries, to follow the self guided curriculum used at Education_Program:The_Wikipedia_Library/Wikipedia_Library_Interns_(Summer_2015). Both WVS and the interns models offer slightly different models of engaging with an GLAM, that include a different kind of commitment/relationship than a typical WIR. As with all things Wiki: there is nothing stopping you from adapting either of these concepts in your own situation (and making them your official title); but if it helps, @Ryan (Wiki Ed): is coordinating the Visiting Scholar positions so could make it one of those being tracked by the program. A nice bonus to this: it would be awesome if the library both sponsored you and one or two other Wikipedians within the Visiting Scholar role :) I would be the person to consult about Interns Cheers, Astinson (WMF) (talk) 18:05, 8 July 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Cool - good to know! I've sent my supervisors a link to this page so they could take a look at it. If they can set up any position that'd be great, especially since it'd hopefully leave behind a program in place that others could use. I've made mention of having some edit-a-thons in the past, but I don't think that we'll have one of those anytime soon but I'm hoping to hold one sometime in the next few years since there really are a lot of topics that require articles or editing of some type (expansion, sourcing, etc). I know that I'm coming across a lot of House of Burgesses/House of Delegates bios that need creation. (Mostly just plugging this in case anyone here is interested in helping write any.) Tokyogirl79 (｡◕‿◕｡) 03:19, 9 July 2015 (UTC)[reply]

@Tokyogirl79: Sorry to come late to this thread. To answer your initial question, a Visiting Scholars position doesn't have to be the result of an open call for applications. That will likely remain the most common approach, but I'm hoping it will become more bidirectional. For example, if there are no open positions or if someone wants access to resources but isn't a good fit for any current openings, they can still apply and specify the sorts of areas they want to work on. Since we're in contact with so many universities anyway, we can then try to connect qualified applicants with the institutions directly. What you're proposing just cuts out the need to make that connection :) I think it would be great! Of course, I'll echo Alex and say it would be even better if you convinced them to take on additional Visiting Scholars :)

If you want to set it up or if you have questions better left off-wiki, just shoot me an email (ryan [at] wikiedu [dot] org). Thanks --Ryan (Wiki Ed) (talk) 17:26, 21 July 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks! I might just do that - mind if I send your e-mail to my supervisor? He may have some questions as well. Tokyogirl79 (｡◕‿◕｡) 12:47, 22 July 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Sounds good. visitingscholars [at] wikiedu [dot] org also goes to the same place, for a marginally easier to remember address :) --Ryan (Wiki Ed) (talk) 16:08, 22 July 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Out of date

The "currently open positions" panel advertises a post at the National Library of Wales, whose closing date was in April 2016. The panel template hasn't been edited for over two years. Should it be deleted, or blanked? Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 15:38, 20 September 2019 (UTC)[reply]

@Ryan (Wiki Ed): FYI. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 15:39, 20 September 2019 (UTC)[reply]

@Pigsonthewing: Thanks for the ping. The NLW position is the only one I wasn't involved with, but I've gone ahead and removed it from the header and list of openings. The others are still open in theory.

The Visiting Scholars program has been pretty stagnant over the past year and a half, but it's still technically active and I don't have reason to believe the listed universities have lost interest in sponsoring someone. I hope to make time to reconnect with them (and a couple others) in the not-too-distant future and will surely update the page when that happens. --Ryan (Wiki Ed) (talk) 15:58, 20 September 2019 (UTC)[reply]

I have removed the content on the National Library of Wales application page, to avoid confusion, and it can probably be deleted. We never did get any takers for the Wikipedia Scholar position but we are still working closely with our Wikidata Visiting Scholar! Jason.nlw (talk) 18:44, 20 September 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Is the programm still running ?

I'm wondering if this position is still available as I can see dates are outdated.--Support Wikipedia, support free sharing of knowledge. BamLifa (talk) 11:09, 2 June 2021 (UTC)[reply]

I believe a few institutions support a limited amount of work through WikiEd -- @Will (Wiki Ed) and Sage (Wiki Ed):Sadads (talk) 21:22, 2 June 2021 (UTC)[reply]

@BamLifa: Sadads is correct in saying that we are supporting just a few existing relationships. We're still operating with a small staff due to the pandemic so we can't put a lot of time into this program currently. If you have an idea for the future, feel free to send me an email at will@wikiedu.org I'm not sure what our timeline will be just yet, but I'll be happy to keep any idea in mind. Will (Wiki Ed) (talk) 21:52, 3 June 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you all for your response so far. The reason why I'm asking is because I wanted to send out my CV so that I can join the programm. I'll try to send an email to you if that sounds ok for you.--Support Wikipedia, support free sharing of knowledge 06:31, 4 June 2021 (UTC)