08-09, 14:15–14:55 (Poland), Lviv (21+22+23) (interpretation)
Language: English
This session will present the problem of notability and "lack of visibility" of Wikipedia articles which was noticed by librarians from different countries. Articles and references relating to local history mean a lot for small communities but very often they are not accepted for publication because of “lack of notability”.
We want to generate a broad discussion and develop solutions which can be satisfactory to librarians, the regional community and Wikipedia editors.
In the session “How to improve our work on notability? Librarians’ case” we will look into the important issue of the "lack of notability" of Wikipedia articles concerning libraries, librarians, and local history which are significant to small communities and regions.
Additionally, it will be important to facilitate a helpful discussion between librarians, regional community representatives, and Wikipedia editors to identify challenges and collaboratively develop solutions that promote greater inclusivity and representation on Wikipedia.
Session recording: https://youtu.be/y5rg4dIxH0A?list=PLhV3K_DS5YfJ1xyY0LNDNX3RKyRQEXOdB&t=17461
The idea for organising this session appeared during meetings with Polish librarians creating regional bibliographies and adding articles as well as references about local objectives to Wikipedia. They had difficulty regarding resources and getting articles accepted in Wikipedia. A similar problem showed up in the Romanian and American librarians’ community in Wikipedia. It is worth trying to find a solution for this matter together with the Wikimedia community.
“How to improve our work on notability? Librarians’ case” session will consist of 3 parts:
Short presentations about difficulty about sources from library representatives from USA, Romania and Poland - summarise of factual reality and challenges to solve;
Roundtable discussions with participants - moderators of roundtables will lead the discussion to collect more opinions also from the Wikimedia community. Results of will be collected and present to Wikimedia representatives;
Trying to answer librarians’ questions by Wikimedia representatives and discussing with participants.
An important preparation before the session will consist of collecting questions and problems from the library community and Wikimedia. By examining real-world examples and case studies, we aim to illustrate how the absence of relevant articles can perpetuate marginalisation and hinder access to valuable information.
Additionally , we want to study those Wikipedia Pages with local sources that have been deleted because of a "lack of notability". It will be a good start for a fruitful discussion about notability during Wikimania in Katowice.
Summarising, the “How to improve our work on notability? Librarians’ case” session will:
raise awareness among participants about the issue of the "lack of visibility" of Wikipedia articles,
provide a platform for librarians, regional community members, and Wikipedia editors to share and discuss their experiences and perspectives regarding the challenges they face in creating and maintaining Wikipedia articles about libraries, librarians, and local history,
try to generate practical solutions addressing the identified challenges.
By creating a space for interdisciplinary exchange and mutual learning, we hope to strengthen relationships between librarians, regional community representatives, and Wikipedia editors, paving the way for ongoing collaboration beyond the session.
This session is an effect of collaboration with Polish Librarians Association, Wikimedia and Libraries User Group, Wikimedia Foundation and Romanian librarians.
Together with Polish Librarians Association, Wikimedia and Libraries User Group, Wikimedia Foundation and Romanian librarians we want to try to answer librarians’ difficulty about notability and resources.
What is the experience level needed for the audience for your session?* –Everyone can participate in this session
How do you plan to deliver this session?* –Onsite in Katowice
What other themes or topics does your session fit into? Please choose from the list of tags below. –Collaboration, Capacity building
Magdalena Gomulka (m.a.) is a senior-librarian in the Silesian Library in Katowice, Poland. She cooperates with the Polish Librarians’ Association and IFLA. Her professional experience concerns international cooperation, sustainable development and libraries. Had presentations at national and international conferences as well as webinars, ex. IFLA WLIC 2022 in Dublin, UN IGF.
Librarian and Lecturer at the Maria Grzegorzewska University, Wikimedian and collaborator of the Wikimedia Poland
Claudia is a member of the Wikimedians of Romania and Moldova User Group (WMROMD). Over the past three years, she has been actively involved in writing and presenting about the efforts of editors of the Romanian language Wikipedia. Claudia has initiated and been involved in planning and organizing campaigns, projects, partnerships, and research inquiries for and with this community. She is a library lover, passionate about GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums) supporting future communities, and supporter of equity and inclusion.
Programmer by formation, Wikipedian for 18+ years.