User:ACrockford/NLS Wikimedian in Residence Report

What is a Wikimedian in Residence?
A Wikimedian (or Wikipedian) in Residence (WiR) is a Wikimedian who dedicates time to working in-house at an organization. The role is fundamentally about enabling the host organisation and its members to continue a productive relationship with the encyclopaedia and its community after the Residency is finished. The aim is to promote understanding of Wikimedia projects amongst NLS staff, as well as GLAM organisations in Scotland more generally, by organising workshops and events. The role essentially boils down to three component parts: facilitating content creation, internal political consultation for change, and working for benefit of the Wikimedia and GLAM communities.

Developing a residency programme at the NLS
Discussions regarding the installation of a Wikimedian in Residence at the National Library of Scotland first emerged out of a training session for NLS staff members held in Edinburgh by British Library WiR Andrew Gray in 2012. A proposal for support from WMUK was subsequently submitted, with the result being that WMUK offered a grant to supplement the costs of salary, and support costs for events, travel, and accommodation where required. The job opening was posted in April 2013, and as the first position of its kind in Scotland it received significant media attention across the UK. In July 2013, User:ACrockford took up the post in a part-time capacity for 8 months; this was then extended a further 4 months on a part time basis by the WMUK Board in December 2013.

Initial aims of residency
Current estimations suggest that the library holds between 17 and 21 million items in its collection, including unique items such as the last letter of Mary, Queen of Scots, the Order for the Massacre of Glencoe, and handwritten poems by Robert Burns. Initial concepts for an ideal outcome of the Wikimedian-in-Residence programme at the NLS included the opening up of access to these sources by uploading digitised copies to Wikisource or Wikimedia Commons in some cases, and by building strong links between Wikipedia and existing free online collections hosted by the NLS in others. It was also hoped that the increase in contribution and the organisation of events and workshops will encourage more active contributions to Wikimedia projects across Scotland.

The stated objectives outlined in the job plan issued by the NLS to WMUK, and then to User:ACrockford on taking up the position, included the following:

Public outreach:
 * Help the Library develop an outreach policy to coordinate contributions from the wider Scottish community to develop Wikimedia in under-represented areas and minority languages
 * To promote digital engagement in areas related to the work of the National Library of Scotland
 * Delivery of 3+ public workshops for editors (i.e. edit-a-thons)

Staff workshops:
 * To provide training opportunities for staff, volunteers, and researchers associated with the National Library of Scotland
 * Delivery of 7+ workshops for National Library of Scotland staff and researchers, or related institutions.

Contributor communities:
 * Establish relationships with the Scottish Wikimedia community, editors, and projects with the aim of an increase in the number of contributors in Scotland
 * Collaboration with key partners both within and without the GLAM sector

Material for future digitisation:
 * The identification of material for future Wikimedia digitisation projects
 * To make information or materials held by the institution available via the Wikimedia projects, e.g. releasing text, images, and other multimedia files under a free license where appropriate

Outcomes
Over the course of the initial 8 months outlined for the residency, the programme has resulted in a number of successful outcomes, particularly in terms of the goals identified for public outreach, contributor communities, and digitisation projects. Since the WiR was installed in July 2013, six training workshops have been run for NLS staff, and a further five edit-a-thons have been organised as part of the programme for members of the public and NLS staff, researchers, and volunteers. The resident and the NLS have also provided substantial support for five more successful edit-a-thons in Edinburgh and Glasgow that were organised by other members of WMUK staff or local Wikimedia volunteers. These events have varied in size from 5 to 20 participants, and have had a significant impact in the development of future events (see influencing factors below).

One of the most successful outcomes of the residency has been the revival and growth of the dormant ScotWiki community; the increase in events and media attention, as well as the consistent presence of a Wikimedian at a variety of GLAM and Open Knowledge events has lead to the resurrection of regular Wikimeets in Scotland. These meetups have gathered between 4 and 10 Wikimedians at intervals of every 2-3 months in venues alternating between Glasgow and Edinburgh. The meetups have also resulted in the creation of a ScotWiki mailing list focused on maintaining and growing the community in Scotland; the mailing list currently has nearly 50 subscribers.

The search for a WiR at the NLS garnered significant media attention, and while this lessened after the residency had launched, there was still an interest in the position for the first months of the programme. In addition, some events - in particular the Anybody But Burns edit-a-thon held in January - revived interest. While media coverage dropped off throughout the residency, interest amongst the wider GLAM/cultural sector in Scotland continued. User:ACrockford spoke at several conferences, workshops, and similar events, and ran a successful webinar discussing the programme and the larger benefits of open access digital content and working with Wikimedia. These events were typically held in collaboration with other organisations resulting in significant contacts with the Special Libraries Association Europe, Edinburgh City Libraries, Grampian Information, JISC Scotland, Cataloguing and Indexing Group Scotland, and the Association of International Librarians and Information Specialists.

Most likely the most influential outcome of the programme is the National Library of Scotland's approval of an open access digital policy that will see the release of all digitised content from the public domain and its relevant metadata to a CC-0 license. Without an open access digital content policy, the WiR's ability to release content was extremely limited; while the policy is expected to take at least a year to fully implement, the focus has been on the establishment of an open policy and the creation of a system to ensure the release of material to Wikimedia Commons in the future. The WiR is in the process of setting up a sustainable, easily understood and accessible process of uploading content and metadata so that the NLS can continue in the absence of a Wikimedian in Residence.

Positive influencing factors

 * A supportive community both in library and in larger GLAM community
 * The Wikimedia community was surprisingly much more interested and engaged than first suggested, and connections made with some exceptional volunteers
 * WiR was fortunate to have an extremely supportive line manager at host organisation, and extensive support from other colleagues and upper management
 * Increased attention from WMUK to ScotWiki community (appointment of board trustee based in Scotland, hosting of December 2013 board meeting in Edinburgh, decision to host EduWiki in Edinburgh) was a big help with maintaining a Wiki presence and the overall expansion of the contributing community
 * Extensive support was received from WMUK in terms of materials, training, advice and guidance throughout programme
 * The relative flexibility of goals and objectives allowed for continual re-evaluation and adaptation to any negative influencing factors (see below), which was essential to determining what would be successful in the longer term scope of the residency

Negative influencing factors

 * Instability in the infrastructure of host organisation occasionally made it difficult to establish contact with the appropriate curator or manager, and posed some problems in terms of hesitancy on the part of NLS staff to engagement with the programme
 * A lack of direct and consistent interaction with curators and support staff (i.e. events staff) made organisation of some events slower or more difficult than initially expected
 * A heavy existing workload for NLS staff also resulted in hesitance and lower participation on their part
 * The lack of existing policies required to facilitate release of digitised material meant for significant delays in this respect
 * The unexpectedly high level of interest made it difficult to identify which projects were likely to be successful, and over-loading the schedule meant that some events had to be abandoned during organisation

Analysis
As much as the outcomes of the residency have been positively influenced by a number of factors, there has also been a process of continual re-evaluation throughout the residency in response to certain negative influencing factors (see above for details). The programme's approach has varied in reaction to these circumstances; in particular, the focus on running editing workshops for NLS staff was shifted to one on outreach and the organisation of public events and events in collaboration with other local GLAM organisations (the Glasgow Women's Library, the Scottish Poetry Library, the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, the British Computer Society Women chapter in Edinburgh, etc). The rationale behind this change in focus stemmed from the recognition of the prohibitive workload already maintained by NLS staff members with the most extensive knowledge of the collection, and their subsequent inability (or lack of inclination) to contribute to Wikipedia/Wikimedia Commons on an individual basis. By focusing on outreach events and the building of a stronger ScotWiki community, the goal is now to encourage local organisations, volunteers, and researchers to view the NLS as a supportive organisation, and to likewise foster in staff members the willingness to collaborate and provide support when approached.

The programme demonstrated a number of strengths and weaknesses of note, and identified some key opportunities and threats listed below:

Strengths

 * The residency had a push factor - forced the NLS to evaluate its real open commitment
 * Staff at WMUK were available for support
 * The programme was backed by a strong 'brand name' - Wikipedia - that garnered interest and support
 * The programme adapted to challenges posed by the environment, and continually assessed and re-assessed the success of different approaches in order to focus on those that offered the best possible outcome
 * The residency actively ingratiated itself with volunteer-driven projects and other open knowledge communities

Weaknesses

 * Enthusiasm within the organisation was mixed, and enthusiasm within the host organisation didn't always translate into successes
 * The project was somewhat isolated, and despite a rigorous introduction and induction process at the outset, it seemed to remain unclear to many staff members what the role is and what it was attempting to achieve
 * It was difficult to incorporate Wikimedia events into existing organisational events; partly this related to a difference in schedule and partly to a lack of interaction with curators involved in the more notable events
 * Staff were too busy to engage fully or consistently

Opportunities

 * The GLAM sector in Scotland is extremely keen on opportunities offered by GLAM-Wiki collaborations
 * The open agenda is important (as elsewhere) and is picking up steam throughout Scotland in the form of successful and growing Open Knowledge groups, Open Data groups, and Open Rights groups
 * The newness of the programme allowed for greater flexibility in approach - easier to shape it to something that worked
 * In general, cultural institutions use the internet in an increasingly forward-thinking way, and the NLS was specifically focused on making use of its online presence in a way that fostered a more open and accessible image to members of the public
 * ‘Outpost’ residency brings up risks, but also opportunities: as there is less experience in hosting a WiR in an 'outpost' community, there is more freedom to react to successes and adapt to failures in order to develop an approach that is tailored to the region - expectations are less well-defined

Threats

 * Restructuring within the organisation - it was difficult to collaborate with people when members of staff are themselves unsure of their job description or lack a clear idea of their expectations in the coming months
 * Large, national organisations move at a glacial rate of change, Wikimedians tend to expect faster results than are realistic within the host organisation
 * Community: support varies and often is based on context. There is a high possibility for misunderstandings and miscommunications that can lead to a breakdown in community support - if the host organisation is not delivering what the community wants or expects, or if the host organisation acts in a way that is against Wikipedia policies and guidelines
 * ‘Outpost’ residency brings with it certain risks: building a strong local community takes a long time, and there may be (or is) a marked difference between heavily urbanised metropolis locations (London) and other regions with a less concentrated population to draw from and less of a local infrastructure/related support
 * Unreliability of GLAM Tools and confusion in working with/understanding existing tools (in particular tools for the uploading of content to Commons)
 * Relatively small audience that meet the ideal criteria for event participation (wiki editor + interested + can come to the events) compounded by the smaller and more widely dispersed population dynamics in Scotland

Responses from National Library of Scotland

 * opinions of the people at the institution - line manager, management etc (Forthcoming)

Recommendations for WMUK
In terms of an on-going ScotWiki community, I would highly recommend increasing an official presence in Scotland, either through the establishment of more Wikimedians in Residence, or by appointing ambassadors who can continue outreach and act as a point of contact for organisations, groups, or individuals interested in contributing or running events. One of the less tangible but, I feel, most significant outcomes of the residency has been the increased profile of GLAMWiki collaborations and Wikimedia's mission as a whole in Scotland, and I would put this down to a consistent presence and a local contact for interested parties. It would be a shame to lose this momentum once the WiR is no longer in post, and previous experiences with a ScotWiki community suggest that without a larger and more official presence, the initiative struggles.

In terms of the Wikimedian in Residence programme and GLAMWiki collaborations, my recommendations would include:
 * Clearer documentation and instructions for the process of releasing content to Commons, ideally drawn from existing residencies and their experiences (i.e. clarification regarding batch upload processes available and their risks & benefits, materials for the creation of templates for uploaded materials, etc)
 * That the organising Wikimedia chapter make an effort to visit outpost residencies or ambassadors during their tenure, as well as arranging for visits to headquarters; events like the December WMUK Board meeting and social and individual visits from WMUK staff I think were an excellent way of ensuring that the residency was given greater legitimacy in the eyes of the Wikimedia community, as well as fostering a greater connection between chapter and WiRs and offering a better opportunity for reflection and feedback on the project on both sides
 * The establishment of a flexible programme of goals and objectives during the planning stage of any residency, or else a willingness to re-evaluate the expectations of a WiRship (from both the host's perspective and the chapter's) both before and during the term of residence. This flexibility was instrumental in the course of this residency, as it was demonstrated early on that some of the initial aims - particularly the training of staff and staff's eventual involvement - were not feasible projects to focus on. Similarly, the nature of the programme itself necessitates the ability to respond to the situation in which the resident finds themselves, in terms of their host organisation, their own personal experience, the local community and the Wikimedia community.

Recommendations for National Library of Scotland
In terms of the National Library of Scotland's involvement with GLAMWiki collaborations and an on-going relationship with Wikimedia, it seems to me that the best opportunities for a lasting relationship lie in the release of digital content, the incorporation of that content into Wikipedia as widely as possible, and the continued support of events in collaboration with other organisations, groups, or individuals. At present, the lack of involvement with curatorial staff, education and outreach staff, and events management staff, make sustaining this kind of support in particular difficult.

I would therefore recommend that the Library shift its attention away from training employees on Wikipedia and towards raising awareness of Wikimedia style events, how to organise them, and their benefits and overall impact. I would also recommend that these kinds of events receive support from the outreach and events management staff on the same level as other significant Library-hosted events. I would also recommend that the Library aim to organise and run at least one large-scale Wikimedia event each year, ideally a backstage pass type event to enhance an exhibition, and incorporate the organisation of this event into staff job plans and, where necessary, into the exhibition planning stage.

I also recommend that the Library consider releasing high-resolution as well as low-resolution files as part of its annual review of the new open access policy, once the policy and a method for uploading content and metadata are in place.

Statistics
Events organised or training run by WiR:

 Events organised by others with WiR support: 

 Talks and other events 

 Collaborative organisations: 

Some contact details have not been listed for privacy reasons; all contact details have been forwarded to WMUK for any future collaborations.

Going forward
As the residency has been extended to July 2014, many of the projects and initiatives currently in development can remain within the scope of the residency until that time. However, as the residency wraps up, the following should be continued by volunteers or WMUK:
 * Support for the uploading and organisation of digital content and metadata from the Library where necessary
 * Continuation of regular ScotWiki meetups in Edinburgh and Glasgow with the option to expand elsewhere
 * Connections with GLAM organisations outside of the NLS who have expressed an interest in collaborating or who have previously collaborated with Wikimedia UK/ScotWiki volunteers (see contacts)
 * Push for contact with organisations and institutions in the Highlands and Islands
 * Continued contact with the Scottish government and organisations like JISC Scotland and the University of the Highlands and Islands would be ideal to pursue this expansion, due to their existing connections both physical and technological
 * Maintaining connections with the open knowledge/open data community in Scotland

Forward outlook plan April - July 2014
The following initiatives and events have been identified as a central focus for the residency's extension to July 2014:

Add categories: Category:Wikipedia-National Library of Scotland collaboration