GLAM/Newsletter/November 2013/Contents/USA report

This Month in GLAM – Volume III, Issue XI, November 2013

USA report

GLAM-Wiki Activities in Philadelphia and Vancouver, Washington

By Mary Mark Ockerbloom and Another Believer (Jason Moore)

Recent Activities in Philadelphia

The first GLAM Café was held at the Chemical Heritage Foundation in Philadelphia, on November 12, 2013. The GLAM Café is organized as a meetup group, the second Tuesday of each month from 5-8 p.m. CHF provides a space, coffee, and snacks; those who attend provide ideas and enthusiasm. The concept is similar to DC's WikiSalon, but open to a broader audience. Anyone interested in the areas of GLAM, digital humanities or Wikipedia is welcome. At least 36 people attended: about half were primarily interested or involved in Wikipedia, and about half in PhillyDH, a group for digital humanities. PhillyDH held a breakout meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Many people didn't know each other, so the first meeting focused on introductions and interests. The next meeting, on December 10, 2013, will likely be more work-oriented.

Edit-a-thon at Vancouver Community Library in Vancouver, Washington

On November 17, the Vancouver Community Library (part of the Fort Vancouver Regional Library District) hosted an edit-a-thon in conjunction with the national Wiki Loves Libraries campaign. Attendees received an overview of how Wikipedia works, examined the edit toolbar and made some practice edits. Two participants took more than 250 photographs of local sites before the meetup, most of which can be found at Category:November 2013 in Washington (state).

Event signage
Some attendees at work
Educational materials
Library interior

GLAM-Wiki Activities in New York City

By Dorothy Howard

GLAM-Wiki Activities in New York City

Wikimedia NYC and METRO’s Wikipedian-in-Residence organized an Edit-a-Thon on Greenwich Village History at the New York Public Library, Jefferson Market Library Branch in the East Village on Saturday November 2nd. Local historians, librarians, and professors came, as well as Greenwich Village aficionados. The event lasted from 10am-5pm and had about five Wikipedians in attendance, and over 15 other participants. Statistics for the event were generated using Wiki-metrics.

On November 21st, METRO hosted an “Advanced Wikipedia Training” for experienced editors. Members of Wikimedia NYC also offered support during the session. About 12 people were in attendance, from MLIS students to museum archivists to public librarians.

METRO also hosted a “Propose an Article,” Wikipedia project, and selected six requested articles from the Frick Art Reference Library to add to Wikipedia including the American Art Association, and Frederick Mortimer Clapp.

The Wikimedia NYC Board also met several times to discuss its strategic plans and projects into the New Year. These included an Edit-a-Thon on December 6th at Queens Library in Jamaica, Queens, at a New York Public Library in Harlem, and an “Art + Feminism” Edit-a-Thon with Eyebeam Art and Technology Center.