Annual Plan for Fiscal Year 2013–14
Our programs
Starting with fiscal year 2014, Wikimedia DC is simplifying its program structure to reflect the three interconnected factors that make the Wikimedia movement a success: content, technology, and community. The aim of Wikimedia DC is to make free content available for the world. The development and promotion of technology gives us the tools needed to distribute free content. Most importantly, building a community makes all of this possible.
CONTENT
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Washington, DC, is home to many institutions of knowledge and knowledgable people. For the past three years, locally based institutions, including the Smithsonian Institution, have expressed an interest in improving Wikipedia's content. To this end, we have had several successful collaborations with institutions of knowledge:
- This past fiscal year, we held five editing workshops with the Smithsonian Institution, resulting in 47 new articles, 105 existing articles improved, and 15 images uploaded. All of the images contributed have been from the Smithsonian's collections, and the articles have been on subject matters of interest to the Smithsonian.
- George Washington University worked with Wikimedia DC to hold three edit-a-thons at their libraries and archives, covering such subjects as global affairs, labor history, and the Foggy Bottom Neighborhood. As a result, 31 articles were created or improved, including one article in German! Access to university resources were instrumental in the improvement of these articles.
- Wikimedia DC volunteers have aided the Cato Institute in its efforts to document bills introduced in Congress on Wikipedia. According to Jim Harper, the Director of Information Policy Studies, articles written through this effort have gotten 70,000 hits, providing knowledge on the legislative process.
Events planned with these organizations, as well as with the National Archives and Records Administration in fiscal year 2011–2012, have been fruitful in developing relationships with these organizations. Yet there is still more work to be done. Wikimedia DC will look to build on these existing relationships by devising longer-term program plans, with specific content and outreach metrics that satisfy our objectives as well as theirs. More effort will also be made in hosting non-editing events such as scan-a-thons, which allow institutions to share their collections with a broader, global audience.
We also look forward to expanding our work to include additional cultural institutions and universities. For example, we look forward to holding additional events with the National Archives, with the help of Dominic McDevitt-Parks as their new full-time Wikipedia specialist. Additionally, we are interested in supporting Andrew Lih in his efforts to integrate Wikipedia into his curriculum at American University. These provide excellent opportunities to share the content of Washington, DC, with the rest of the world.
TECHNOLOGY
Wow! Technology!
COMMUNITY
Wow! Community!
Fit to strategy
On September 7, 2013, the Board of Directors of Wikimedia DC approved the following strategic priorities:
- Foster a welcoming and supportive social environment for local and remote Wikimedia volunteers.
- Empower academic, cultural, and government institutions to contribute content and expertise to Wikimedia projects.
- Promote women's participation in all aspects of the Wikimedia movement.
- Cultivate diversity of participation and content on Wikimedia projects.