User:LoriLee/GLAM-Wiki US Consortium

Previously, Wikipedians have been the first to approach cultural organizations with a vision for GLAM-Wiki partnerships. Now cultural organizations and Wikipedians should collectively take ownership of the GLAM-Wiki initiative. Cultural organizations have established their own expertise in this realm and can work together with Wikipedians to centralize resources and support for ongoing and future GLAM-Wiki partnerships.

This page serves as both a conceptual document and a brainstorming space for Wikipedians and cultural professionals to strategically discuss the immediate and long term goals of a GLAM-Wiki US professional network (tentatively titled the GLAM-Wiki US Consortium.)

Please edit this page!

The core aim of a GLAM-Wiki US Consortium is to be useful and relevant to all participants.

• Suggest/Alter/Edit goals, structure, or vision.
• Share your insights!

How could this network best address your needs?

• For me, I'd like to be able to not only have a community from both sides to reach out and provide support to, but, to also be aware of GLAMs that are supporters of the movement - this project could lead to a broader consortium of open culture supporters on a broader level. I'd love to see an "opportunities" section as well, which allows for consortium members to see where opportunities lie nationally for work & partnering. Missvain (talk) 20:42, 15 June 2012 (UTC)

How could this network best centralize resources and best practice?

• Perhaps a custom "consortium wiki" (similar to what the digital preservation community and the conservation community have done?) that is public and all CC BY SA (or private but still CC BY SA..though public would of course be ideal!) Missvain (talk) 20:42, 15 June 2012 (UTC)
• I also think we'd benefit the most out of having a PUBLIC mailing list. Cultural Partners, Internal-L, etc, haven't always had the best reception due to being private. The more open the better. If things need to be of a sensitive nature they should be taken to private email I guess and discussed with those who it involves...? Missvain (talk) 20:42, 15 June 2012 (UTC)

• Do we even need a new list? I imagine the existing GLAM list is the best place for this, with largely the same members. Dominic (talk) 18:12, 20 June 2012 (UTC)

• Ideally any mailing list that's used for this group would capitalize on one that already exists - with the North American Cultural Partnerships list being the best place. It's already underutilized and has US-centric people there (and its geographic partners.) HstryQT (talk) 00:10, 22 June 2012 (UTC)

Vision

The GLAM-Wiki US Consortium will bring together cultural organizations, Wikipedians, Wikimedia chapters, and individuals in an independent community of practice devoted to supporting the GLAM-Wikimedia initiative in the United States.

• The GLAM-Wiki US Consortium will bring together GLAM professionals, Wikimedians, and those who serve both roles, to support projects collectively, partner on projects, and explore how the culture sector can better utilize their relationship with Wikimedia and vice versa.

Goals

• To provide resources, outreach, and other peer support through a variety of platforms.
• To combine organizational affiliates with cultural institutions, cultural professionals, and Wikipedians.
• To allow workers to share professional tasks in a member cooperative manner.
• To provide an interface for organizations to acquire Wikipedian help as a service rather than a hire.
• To develop best practices in the United States for both parties.
• To develop a collective of professionals and enthusiasts on both sides to provide support in the role of consultants, guides, volunteers, residents, trainers, etc.

• To provide professional relief as a club where frank discussion about employers can be had.
• Ensure fair wages for Consortium members through sharing of salary information.

-These may be another sort of entity than the informal support network we're focusing on at the moment. HstryQT (talk) 00:21, 22 June 2012 (UTC)

• Add more.

Structure

Potential platforms

• Email list
• Wikipedia userspace
• Website or blog
• Newsletter
• Facebook and linked in group. This should be private and invitation only to allow "venting."
• Add more.

Potential organizational / administrative structures

• Advisory board
  • Complete member-cooperative structure.
  • I'd like to see a mix of experienced Wikipedians and GLAM professions, specifically those who have worked in cultural institutions. Missvain (talk) 21:24, 15 June 2012 (UTC)
• Member database
• Use of proportional to salary member fees, to create aids legitimize the consortium.

In order to build cachet for the profession. (Max)