Library of Scotland collaborated with Wikimedia to explore providing access to some of the millions of unique sources in the Library's collections. This included appointing Scotland's first Wikimedian-in-Residence Dr Ally Crockford with the support of Wikimedia UK. Ally took up her position in 2013 and worked with the Library until summer 2015.
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National Library of Scotland was named WMUK's GLAM of the Year 2014
In summer 2013, the National Library of Scotland (NLS) launched the first ever Wikimedian-in-Residence programme in Scotland, supported by Wikimedia UK. This programme marks the start of what it is hoped will be an ongoing collaboration between the NLS and Wikimedia; the Residency aims to establish a self-sustaining and long-lasting relationship between the Library and the Wikimedia community, and to encourage the growth of the Wikimedia community in Scotland more generally. The Wikimedian-in-Resident will act as a facilitator and catalyst over a period of several months, helping to open up access to NLS collections through Wikimedia projects where appropriate, and to work with Library staff to help incorporate Wikimedia's mission of a free and open knowledge base into future initiatives.
The Residency will focus on achieving these goals through the following:
The NLS Wikimedian will organise a series of internal training sessions and edit-a-thons throughout the residency; these will focus on giving staff at the National Library of Scotland the tools and confidence to contribute to Wikipedia articles, and to upload content to both Wikimedia Commons and, ideally, Wikisource.
In addition, a series of outreach events will be organised in conjunction with other GLAM organisations in Edinburgh and Scotland which will aim to broaden the scope of Wikimedia contributions and build stronger links with other institutions. These events will also seek to encourage public engagement with Wikimedia projects in Edinburgh and throughout Scotland - public edit-a-thons will give new users the basic tools to contribute to Wikimedia sites and may provide access to materials which can be used to enhance Wikimedia's knowledge base. Details for all of these events will be updated on our Events and Workshops page.
The National Library of Scotland holds an estimated 17 million items in its collections, including books, manuscripts, photographs and other images, letters, serials, pamphlets and broadsides, maps, and film and sound recordings. Throughout the Residency the NLS Wikimedian will work with librarians and curators to identify items which can be contributed to Wikimedia projects and to develop links between the Library and a growing community of Wikimedians in Scotland. We hope to release content from NLS collections and to work with other local libraries and archives who are interested in contributing to do the same. There will also be a focus on putting in place a frame of mind and the levels of support needed to facilitate the easy release of content in the future.
The Wikimedian-in-Residence programme will also involve encouraging library readers to contribute to Wikimedia projects, and introducing them to the Wikimedia movement as well as to crucial issues of copyright and licensing, Intellectual Property laws, and referencing. Any Library staff or readers who are interested in learning more, or getting involved, are welcome to put themselves forwards as potential participants, or to raise questions or suggestions on our Talk page.
It is hoped that through the events and contributions made possible by the Residency, plans can be put in place for future projects and collaborations between the NLS and other GLAM organisations in Scotland. As the Residency nears closure, the Wikimedian will report on what might be done in the future, and on what projects are currently in place which could continue beyond the programme itself. By tracking statistics related to each event and major contribution, the programme will identify the impact that future collaborations might have on both the NLS and Wikimedia projects.
Throughout the Residency, all monthly reports submitted to the NLS and Wikimedia UK will be posted here to allow those interested to track its progress.
If you are interested in the Wikimedia events taking place at the NLS, or similar programmes and collaborations in the UK and globally, you may find the following articles and external links to be of interest. Suggestions for related links are always welcome; please leave any link suggestions on the Talk page
The search for a Wikimedian-in-Residence at the National Library of Scotland became the focus of a great deal of interest in the mainstream press as well as the blogosphere. The post has generated additional buzz about Wikimedia throughout Scotland, launching a revival of the ScotWiki chapter. To track the growth of this initiative, all press releases, articles, and blog posts about ScotWiki initiatives will be updated regularly.
