‘Wiki Loves Bieb’

The power of collaboration between

libraries and Wikimedia

Karolien Selhorst

Online Information 2010

Wiki Loves Bieb: what?

• Goal: a project that aims to set up a structural

collaboration between Wikimedia Netherlands

and the sector of Dutch public libraries.

• Partners: the Association Wikimedia Nederland,

the Dutch Association of Public Libraries (VOB)

and the public library of Vlissingen.

• Start: January 2010; end: January 2011.

Wiki Loves Bieb: why?

• Few online resources provoke as much

controversy in the library community as

Wikipedia. Some librarians hate it and say it

cannot be trusted. Others love it, because it is

fast, easy to use, and a good starting point for

reference work. Consequently, there is no clear

understanding amongst librarians about what to

do with this popular virtual encyclopedia.

• In order to overcome these prejudices, ‘Wiki

loves Bieb’ has been launched.

Wiki Loves Bieb: focus

• The project focuses on three themes:

– media literacy or the use of Wikipedia in

education;

– cultural heritage or how libraries and other local

heritage partners can improve the quality of the

information in Wikipedia and how they can add

collections;

– the digital library or the library as reference point

in Wikipedia.

Theme 1: Media literacy

• Project results:

– workshops/information meetings for secondary

school teachers about Wikipedia;

– guest lectures for secondary school pupils

about the use of Wikipedia;

– post project workshops for ‘mediacoaches’ on

how to work with the project products.

Theme 2: Cultural heritage

• Projects results:

– a high quality Wikipedia article on Vlissingen

(made with local partners and people in

Vlissingen);

– information meetings for local heritage

institutions about how they can make their

collections visible on Wikipedia;

– research report on how library collections can

be made visible in Wikipedia.

Theme 3: The digital library as reference

point in Wikipedia

• Project results:

– Research report on the public library as

virtual reference point in Wikipedia

– An alternative to Al@din?

Wiki Loves Bieb: how?

• In order to reach the project goals, a pilot

project has been set up in the public library of

Vlissingen during which the project products

will be developed that all Dutch public libraries

can use in het future.

• Limitation: public libraries should be able to

adopt the project products and use them in their

own local context.

Wiki Loves Bieb: effects

• In the long term, this collaboration will:

– strengthen relationships between public libraries

and schools, between public libraries and local

heritage partners;

– lead to a better visibility of (library) collections and

expertise in Wikipedia;

– raise people’s awareness about the use of

Wikimedia’s digital knowledge products, of

Wikimedia and about the use of free licenses;

Wiki Loves Bieb: effects

• In the long term, this collaboration will:

– increase the quantity and thereby the quality of

contributions (critical mass) on Wikipedia;

– raise awareness about the use of Wikipedia in

education;

– strengthen the relationship between libraries and

international partners in the knowledge commons

– ….

Wiki Loves Bieb: project status

Wiki Loves Bieb: future

• Presentation of project results on national public

libraries conference in December 2010.

• Post project support: how and who?

• Share experiences and project results in an

international context (all products will be made

available under a cc license).

Questions or more information?

karosel64@gmail.com

www.karolienselhorst.be

Project blog: http://wikilovesbieb.nl/

Wiki Loves Bieb on Twitter: http://twitter.com/wikilovesbieb