Global Resources Center - Wikipedia Editathon

Date: Saturday, October 20, 2012
Location: George Washington University,  Gelman Library, 7th Floor
                  2130 H Street NW,  Washington DC 20052
Time: 9:30 am to 4:00 p.m.
Who:  Everyone
Lunch:  Provided  
                                                 
SCHEDULE:
  9:30 - 10:00 Arrival and wireless account set up; photo ID required to gain entrance to the library
10:00 - 12:00 New editor instruction and tutorials; experienced editors can dive right  in!
12:00 - 1:00  Lunch (provided) GRC specialists will provide orientations to the collections upon request
  1:00 - 4:00  Editathon led by TBD

EVENT DESCRIPTION: Gelman Library’s Global Resources Center invites you to participate in a Wikipedia Editathon “All Things International” on Saturday, October 20, 2012.  Almost everybody uses Wikipedia, but how does that information get there, and who decides what stays and what goes?  Wikipedia master editors will provide a two hour training session for new editors and content creators, and then assist as needed as you work on the Wiki articles you have pre-selected. Help will also be available for anyone with an interest in contributing new articles. 

SIGN-UP: Click on the following link to sign up for the editathon  -- just scroll down to the heading "Attending Oct. 20" and add your name:   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Meetup/DC/WLL/2012/2  

THE GLOBAL RESOURCES CENTER: The collections will be available to use as reference sources. GRC coverage spans the globe with concentrations of specialized English and non-English databases, books,  maps, statistics, primary documents, and a wealth of other resources focusing on 20th century China, Russia, Japan, Korea, as well as Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, and the Middle East and North Africa more generally.  To learn more about GRC collections please visit the GRC website: http://library.gwu.edu/collections/GRC.

WHY PARTICIPATE: This is a unique opportunity to see behind the Wikipedia curtain,  learn more about their operations, how to strengthen or revise existing content, add much needed references, or even contribute new articles -- all to make it a better resource for the community of web users. Location: Gelman Library, 7th Floor.  Time: 9:30 – 4:00.  Please don’t forget to bring your laptop.  Lunch will be provided.   

WIKIPEDIA AND GW:  Wikipedia began these annual events last October. Gelman Library and the Global Resources Center plan to continue hosting editathons as long as the opportunity exists and GW faculty and students show interest. GW already has a record of contribution to Wikipedia articles. See this Chronicle of Higher Education article to learn how Donna Infeld, Director, PhD Program in Public Policy and Administration, contributed to a larger effort, and made it work for her:http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/professors-shore-up-wikipedia-entries-on-public-policy/28015

WHAT ELSE:  Planning for next year’s editathon will begin in the Spring.  If there are faculty who would like to explore developing a writing or editing session as a classroom assignment, we would love to talk to you.   And of course, it’s not too late for the October 20 session should you be interested.

Everyone is welcome: students, staff, faculty or folks outside GW. Any article in Wikipedia is available for editing. Here is a link to the Global Resources Center website where the event is advertised: http://library.gwu.edu/collections/GRC    All specifics about the event are available from the "information" or "sign-up" links.  Signing up in advance is not required but will help us a lot in planning the number of lunches to have on hand.