Submissions/A National GLAM Coordinator - a crucial yet overlooked role

From Wikimania 2012 • Washington, D.C., USA

This is an accepted submission for Wikimania 2012.

Submission no.

214

Title of the submission
A National GLAM Coordinator - a crucial yet overlooked role

Type of submission (workshop, tutorial, panel, presentation): panel

Author of the submission
Shani Evenstine
Panel members
E-mail address
shani@wikimedia.org.il
Username
see above
Country of origin
see above
Affiliation, if any (organization, company etc.)
see above
Personal homepage or blog
Abstract (at least 300 words to describe your proposal)


This panel will focus on the model of a National GLAM coordinator, a role which seems a bit overlooked, especially compared with that of the institution-focused Wikipedian in Residence. It seems, however, that in practice, many countries have adopted the model [whether officially or not] and members of this panel have all experienced it in one form or another, whether by serving as one themselves, initiating a call for applicants, managing a team that together serves as a "national coordinator," or working in that capacity in an informal role as their local community begins to organize.

The panel aims to raise global awareness and have a platform where GLAMers from around the world can all explore, discuss and learn from each other's experiences, maybe even "formalize" the concept for the benefit of the global GLAM community.

Some of the reasons why this role is needed and that will be discussed throughout the panel are -

  • “accumulated wisdom” that can pass from one project to the next
  • a perspective that allows to better define new projects
  • one recognizable contact person for GLAMs, as well as for the community.
  • speaking to / negotiating with GLAMs with a coherent voice _before_ a Wikipedian-in-Residence is found (or when a WiR is not part of the partnership)
  • Helps WiR, especially when paid, to keep track with WM’s goals, as well as remain neutral. Having a WM contact person helps WiR focus on the work itself and leave all the technicalities (and politics) to someone else.
  • Crucial when WiR has the wiki-know-how and is familiar with the subject, but lacks assertiveness or does not feel comfortable advancing the project, making contacts, representing the community in partnership negotiations, or communicating with the rest of the world [personality, maturity, languages, know-how of sister-wikis].
  • Coordinator serves as networker / connecting institutions with appropriate Wikipedians who can assist technically or in outreach.


Other points that will be discussed throughout the panel -

  • How do various countries/chapters handle the role? What have been the lessons learned?
  • Do coordinators focus more on finding new organizations to work with, or on fostering those whom already have interest? (This may differ depending on the location.)
  • What helps a coordinator facilitate a successful GLAM project -
- creating a “network” of coordinators - passing on the knowledge to more wikipedians who can help and perfect the work - having more capable people help means more work gets done, quicker, more ideas - or in other words: a community.
- creating a national mailing list in your own language - to better communicate with newcomers and people interested from the public as well as GLAMs.
- partnerships with the academy as part of GLAM efforts.
- partnerships with related mailing-lists [librarians, archives, museums, ect).


The panel will begin with a short presentation by each panel member [abuot 10 minutes each, an hour total] and continue with a discussion of the model between panel members & the audience [about 30 minutes, assuming the panel gets 90 minutes as requested].

Track
  • GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums)
Length of presentation/talk
70 minutes, if possible 90 minutes. We would like to give each panel member about 10 minutes to share his experience [that would take almost an hour] and then have another 30 minutes to discuss the topic, along with members from the audience, and hopefully draft some kind of documentation regarding this role by the end of the session.
Will you attend Wikimania if your submission is not accepted?
some participants yes, some rely on scholarships
Slides or further information (optional)
Special request as to time of presentations
If possible, not early morning [any time after 11:00 am is ok] and not on the last day.


Interested attendees

If you are interested in attending this session, please sign with your username below. This will help reviewers to decide which sessions are of high interest. Sign with four tildes. (~~~~).

  1. Ijon (talk) 04:03, 14 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  2. Lvova (talk) 13:41, 14 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  3. Asab (talk) 19:24, 16 March 2012 (UTC)Asab[reply]
  4. A must-see. odder (talk) 19:47, 16 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  5. HB-NCBI(talk) 03:41, 18 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  6. Iopensa (talk) 10:21, 19 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  7. Beat Estermann (talk) 23:56, 19 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  8. Kippelboy (talk) 07:14, 22 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  9. -- Marcus Cyron (talk) 18:36, 21 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  10. Boite-en-Valise (talk) 17:40, 5 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  11. Blue Rasberry (talk) 00:58, 6 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  12. Your name here!
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