This document provides an overview of Wikipedia editathons, which are events where institutions engage staff and community members to create and improve Wikipedia articles related to the institution's collections and areas of expertise. The goals are to increase educational content on Wikipedia, improve access to collections, and provide training. Effective editathons include a theme, tutorials, work sessions, and promotion. They require advance planning of tasks, resources, venue, and scheduling. Host institutions benefit from improving access to their digital holdings and furthering their educational missions.

1. A Primer on
Wikipedia Editathons
Dominic McDevitt-Parks
Digital Content Specialist / Wikipedian in Residence
National Archives and Records Administration
dominic.mcdevitt-parks@nara.gov
@Dominic_MP
#glamwiki

2. Short history
Wikipedia meetups
GLAM-Wiki
● us.glamwiki.org
“Backstage Pass”
British Museum, 2010 National Archives, 2012
[London Institute of Contemporary Arts, 2014]

3. What is it?
● On-site public outreach event
● Based around editing Wikipedia articles
● Engages local Wikipedians, staff, new
editors
[London Institute of Contemporary Arts, 2014]

5. What is it?
Generally includes:
● Theme
● Wikipedia tutorial
● Tour/presentation
● Often lunch!
[London Institute of Contemporary Arts, 2014]

6. Why?
Wikipedia is important.
* Over 75% of digital access to
National Archives holdings
comes via Wikipedia
[London Institute of Contemporary Arts, 2014]
1.3 billion views

7. Why?
You’re a museum. This is your mission.
● Create/improve educational content
● Access to collections
● Digital literacy
● Staff training*
[London Institute of Contemporary Arts, 2014]

8. What does it take?
The basics:
● Venue
● Scheduling
● Staff resources
[Rossimoda Museum of the Shoe, Venice 2013]

9. What does it take?
Venue:
● Fit at least 20 people comfortably
● Projector
● Reliable wifi
● Outlets and power strips
[Rossimoda Museum of the Shoe, Venice 2013]

10. What does it take?
Scheduling:
● Budget at least half a day
● Weekends, depending on audience
● Plan ahead, advertise for weeks in
advance
[Rossimoda Museum of the Shoe, Venice 2013]

11. What does it take?
Staff resources:
● Event coordination
● Subject-matter expertise
● Involve other staff as possible
[Rossimoda Museum of the Shoe, Venice 2013]

12. How does it work?
1. Theme
2. Event page
3. Task list and resources
4. Promotion
5. Agenda
[Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2014]

13. How does it work?
Theme:
● This is the hook
● Exhibit, collections, anniversary, etc.
● “Civil War and American art”
● “Women in Science”
● “International Year of Statistics”
[Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2014]

14. How does it work?
Event page:
● Page on Wikipedia with event info and
signups
● Wikipedia has templates, etc.
[Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2014]

16. How does it work?
Task list and resources:
● List of potential topics
● Discrete and easily digestible, not
general subject areas
● Provide secondary sources ahead of
time—you’re the authority!
[Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2014]

18. How does it work?
Promotion:
● Promote to staff and local
professionals
● Wikipedia community channels:
○ Meetups page, meetup.com, listserv,
geonotices, talk pages, etc.
● Begin promoting 1 month–2 weeks
ahead [Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2014]

19. How does it work?
Agenda:
1. Staff welcome/subject matter intro (1 hr.)
2. Wikipedia tutorial (1 hr.)
3. Lunch/refreshments (1 hr.)
4. Editing session (2+ hrs.)
[Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2014]

21. Things to keep in mind
● Goal is to spotlight areas of expertise, not polishing our
image.
● Staff who participate on Wikipedia are on equal footing with
all other editors
○ Must use individual, rather than shared or departmental,
accounts.
● All edits may be changed or contested. (This may even be
the start of a positive dialogue.)
[Smithsonian Institution Libraries (AAPG branch), 2014]

22. Get creative
Scanathon at the National Archives, 2014

23. [Smithsonian Institution Libraries (AAPG branch), 2014]
Other advice
● Record results before wrapping up!
● Manage expectations
○ Intangible outcomes as important as measurables
● Will copyright be an issue?
● Wikimedia grants programs
● Find a real Wikipedian to help you.

24. @Dominic_MP
dominic.mcdevitt-parks@nara.gov
—
us.glamwiki.org
GLAM-US@lists.wikimedia.org
[Smithsonian Institution Libraries (AAPG branch), 2014]
Questions?
All images from Wikimedia Commons:
● Edwardx (CC-BY-SA); Niccolò Caranti (CC-BY-SA); Georgina Goodlander (CC-BY-SA); Andrew
Lih (CC-BY); Gerald Shields (CC-BY-SA), Fæ (CC-BY-SA)