Grants:Conference/WCI/Wikimedia+Libraries Meetup 2022

From Meta, a Wikimedia project coordination wiki
statusFunded
WCI/Wikimedia+Libraries Meetup 2022
The Wikimedia+Libraries Meetup in Maynooth, Ireland will be the first opportunity for library workers, from around the globe, to gather and focus on library-specific topics and strategies related to Wikipedia and its sister projects.
targetWikipedia, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons, Wikisource, WikiCite. As many languages as possible.
strategic priorityIncreasing Participation
event dates23 July 2022 - 24 July 2022
amount$77,244.00
typeOrganization
nonprofitYes
contact• Laurie.Bridges(_AT_)oregonstate.edu• wikimediaireland(_AT_)gmail.com
organization• Wikimedia Community Ireland

Event overview[edit]

Purpose and vision

Please give a brief description of the event you are planning. What do you hope to accomplish during the event? Why is this event important for your community?
The Wikimedia+Libraries Meetup in Maynooth, Ireland will be the first opportunity for library workers, from around the globe, to gather and focus on library-specific topics and strategies related to Wikipedia and its sister projects.
Do you consider this to be a Regional; Thematic or Growth event? You can read more about each category here.
Growth event. “First time events with the most potential for community growth.”
Is it a Remote, or in-person event?
In-Person

Important details

Please add key information to the table below. The dates, location and number of participants can be estimates and do not need to be finalized at this time.
Proposed date(s) 23 - 24 July 2022
Proposed location Maynooth, Ireland
Number of participants 100 Maximum
Event page On Meta
Primary contact person Laurie Bridges and Rebecca O'Neill (WCI)

Background[edit]

Community input[edit]

Use the results from the community engagement survey to fill in the table below. Since you cannot cover all topics or meet all needs at one event, prioritisation is important. Please rank the priority of each topic, skill, project or problem as high, medium or low. Finally, please answer the questions below the table.

Description and Priority
Strategic discussions:

What are the top issues affecting your community that need to be discussed in person?

1.Strategic planning related to 2030.

2.Knowledge Equity (knowledge gaps on Wikipedia, both in editing and in articles).

3.Preservation of culture, local content, historical context.

Capacity development:

Are there important skills that many people in your community need to learn?

1.How to create successful Wikimedia projects for libraries.

2.How to implement Wikipedia into teaching and information science studies.

3.How to apply for grant support from WMF.

Working groups:

Are there joint projects that need to be planned in person?

Unknown
Community building:

Are there other in-person activities are important for community building?

1.Editathon.

2.Training (Wikidata, etc.).

3.Social gathering and networking.

Survey analysis:

1. How many people did you send the survey to? How many people responded to the survey?
The organizers of the Wikimedia+Libraries Meetup, to be held in Maynooth, Ireland 23 and 24 July 2022, launched a 10 day survey (17-27th March) from Twitter, Facebook, and various library and Wikimedia listservs. The main purpose of the survey was to gather information about expectations and ideas from potential participants of the Meetup. A total of 87 responses. A complete summary of the survey results can be found on this google doc.
2. Did you see consensus around shared goals that this community wants to focus on in the next 12 months? What were the top 2 goals?
It is difficult to pick just two, with over 87 responses and a first-time meetup. However, strategic planning/discussions appeared to the be top goal.
3. Based on survey responses, what are the most important things your community should do at the conference to achieve those goals?
Have a guest speaker, possibly from the WMF, facilitate discussion(s) about the 2030 Movement Strategy. Also, have speakers who have developed robust and successful Wikimedia initiatives for libraries.

Context[edit]

It is helpful to get an understanding of why this event is important to your community, and what experiences you have had in the past. Please answer the applicable questions below.

1. What inspired your community to begin planning this event?
Past successful Wikimedia conferences, such as GLAM and Wikimedia+Education, have included libraries, but this will be the first conference to focus on libraries. Laurie Bridges (one of the co-organizers) is a Librarian and attended the Wikimedia+Education event and there were three librarians in attendance, in total. A conference focused specifically on libraries is important because it will draw and attract more library workers to the Wikimedia Movement. Library-focused conferences are standard practice with a long tradition within the library profession. There are numerous librarian-focused conferences including the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) annual conference with 3,500+ participants; the American Library Association (ALA) hosts annual conferences of 15,000+ participants; the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) hosts biennial conferences of 3,000+ participants; The Information Literacy annual conference (LILAC) in the UK has 200+ participants; LIBER Europe annual conference, 500 participants.
Wikipedia (English and other languages) celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2021, and yet, there is considerable work to be done to engage more libraries and their staff in the Wikimedia Movement. In addition to Wikipedia, library staff are engaged with Wikidata, WikiCommons, Wikicite, and Wikisource. Numerous libraries have hosted Wikipedians in Residence (WiRs), Edit-a-thons, and #1Lib1Ref (#1Bib1Ref) campaigns. This meetup will provide the first opportunity for library workers, from around the globe, to gather and focus on library-specific topics and strategies related to Wikipedia and its sister projects.
2. How does this event relate to other activities that your community is working on?
This event relates directly to library activities mentioned in the answer above.
3. Do you have any Thematic or Regional committee or group? (Such as WISCom, CEE, Iberocoop, etc).
Wikimedia Community Ireland, Wikimedia and Libraries User Group.

Plan[edit]

Venue and Logistics[edit]

1. Do you have any proposed venue for the event? If so, please share details (such as: how far is it from the airport or transportation hub; how close is it to the hotel, do you anticipate any challenges with using the space for the event you are planning?)
Maynooth University, which is approximately one hour via public transit from the Dublin airport. We do not anticipate any difficulties with the location.
2. Is the event venue and hotel accessible for people with physical disabilities?
Yes, one of the apartment rooms we have booked is accessible (more can be made available if needed). We will work with Maynooth University to assure that meeting space is accessible.
3. Are you planning to outsource some of the services? For example - a travel agency, an event production service?
Yes, we have identified a travel agent who will give us a quote for airfare for scholarship recipients, once we have identified the location of those recipients. The cost of a travel agent will be absorbed into the overall travel costs.

Friendly space policy[edit]

We will use the WMF Friendly Space Policy along with Keeping Events Safe training modules.

Participation[edit]

It is crucial that most participants have a minimum level of Wikimedia experience so that they can engage actively in workshops and discussions. Please answer all applicable questions below.

1. Please describe the target audience for this conference or event.
International Wikimedians who are working in libraries and want to learn and share what they are doing within libraries and what they have learned in the process.
2. If your conference has an outreach component to also target non-wikimedian individuals or mission-aligned institutions, can you explain your intention for this outreach (for example: how will you ensure engagement with these participants after the conference, and what impact do you see them having on the projects)?
This conference is focused on Wikimedians within the library profession.
3. Are you thinking about collaborating with potential partners? Such as national; educational or thematic groups and organizations? If so, will this partnership be a financial one (such as sponsorship), or a visionary one (to collaborate in regards to the content of the event)? Please share some details if you have any.
We are working with IFLA (International Federation of Library Institutions and Associations) to set the dates and promote the event. The Meetup will happen the weekend before the IFLA Annual conference in Dublin. We hope the Meetup's promotion, dates, and location (near IFLA) will help elevate Wikimedia work in the eyes of librarians who do not (yet) participate in Wikimedia projects or knowledge sharing.
We are also working with the Maynooth University Library, which will provide meeting rooms, at no cost, for the event.
4. In which ways can Wikimedia Foundation staff support your event onsite? If you would like support, please list the different capacities in which we can support, or describe how you would like Wikimedia Foundation staff to be involved in the event. (Some examples of Wikimedia Foundation support or involvement might be: for outreach and communication efforts; to lead specific sessions; for legal or safety reasons, etc).
We seek support in outreach and communication efforts, to help assure broad international representation at the event. We also seek support (leading a session) about strategic planning related to Wikimedia 2030. We welcome other ideas about WMF involvement.

Scholarships / Travel Grants[edit]

We use the term "scholarship" and "grant" interchangeably.

1. How many scholarships/grants would you like to offer and what expenses will the scholarship cover?
We will offer 20 full scholarships (no more than four from any one country) that cover travel expenses, accommodations, travel insurance, and any visa-related costs. After we receive a quote for airfare/travel for these 20 recipients, we will know how much funding remains for partial scholarships that cover travel, accommodations, or some smaller amount.
2. How will scholarship/grant recipients be selected?
Any active contributor to a Wikimedia project or Wikimedia volunteer in any other capacity, from anywhere in the world, is considered eligible for a scholarship. All applications that are eligible for a scholarship will be reviewed by the scholarship committee with an in-depth evaluation.
Scholarships will be given to participants based on the information provided in the application about their previous experiences and current engagement. This meetup is intended to be “international” in scope, therefore, to ensure the broadest global distribution of scholarships, we will limit the number of full scholarships to no more than four from any one country.
Taking into account the budget available for scholarships/grants, an estimation of per-applicant cost will be done (taking into account the type of scholarship they applied for and what is possible) and the scholarship committee, with the approval of WMF, will notify the successful scholarship applicants. Successful scholarship applicants, after receiving notification, will have to confirm acceptance, if they do not, then the next successful applicant (according the scoring system) will be notified.
3. Do you plan to target or prioritize specific communities or participants?
People who
  • participate in Wikimedia projects in relationship with libraries, in their capacity as staff or volunteers.
  • want to work together, building community and sharing strategies to support and promote the connection between libraries and Wikimedia.
  • are from a diverse range of backgrounds and experience levels.
  • who can share information about libraries and Wimedia projects from the community they work with.
4. How will you ensure diversity and inclusion in your scholarship process?
We will put together a scholarship subcommittee with diverse global representation.

Resources and risks[edit]

Describe the resource potential for successfully executing this project and the key risks/threats.

Resources[edit]

Organizing team
Bridges2Information, AfricanLibrarian, Rebecca O'Neill (WCI), Nferranf
Team User Names
Wikimedia Foundation Liaison Rebecca O'Neill (WCI)
Logistics Bridges2Information
Conference Program Nferranf
Scholarships Bridges2Information
Communications AfricanLibrarian
Volunteer Coordinators TBD
Other team members TBD

Risks[edit]

Examples of risks, along with how you would minimize or overcome them, are:
  • Skill gaps in project leadership, event management, financial management.
  • Difficulty in managing translation needs.
  • Capacity to handle scholarships and associated travel.
  • No-shows (Maximum capacity of 100).
Examples of how to minimize these risks include:
  • Recruit additional volunteers with desired skills to the project leadership team.
  • Hire a company, perhaps a travel agent, to handle travel arrangements for scholarships.
  • Work closely with the WMF Team to control the project and the organization of the event.
  • Evaluate the translation options.
  • Keep in contact with scholarship recipients to confirm attendance and identity any planning needs.

Budget[edit]

Please provide a detailed breakdown of project expenses according to the instructions here. See Budget Guidelines.

All past proposals can be found here, you can use these for inspiration and reference but you are required to do your own local research and come up with your own budget numbers. Keep in mind that each event is different, has local context and needs, and there is not a one-size-fits all for our communities events. While making decisions on what to fund we will consider the local context and community needs for each event.

Event budget table
Budget Part 1: Core Organizing Committee (4) Travel and Accommodations
Item Qty Rate Total US Estimate Remarks
1.1 Accommodation, July 21-25 3 people x 4 nights 55 per night $660.00
1.2 Airfare to/from Dublin 3 people $3,000.00
1.3 Meals 4 people, 3 days $10-20 per meal $400.00 Meals during travel and pre-conference day
1.4 Travel Insurance 3 people $100 per person $300.00
1.5 Visa 1 person 1 $94.00 $81 single entry visa fee + $13 mail fees
1.6 COVID tests 4 people $10 per test $80.00 One test before/after travel
Total Bill 1 $4,534.00
Budget Part 2: 20 Full Scholarships/Grants (No more than 4 per country)
Item Qty Rate Total US Estimate Remarks
2.1 Accommodation, July 22-25 20 people x 3 nights 55 per night $3,300.00 Maynooth University Accomodations
2.2 Airfare to/from Dublin 20 people $200-1500 $20,000.00 Airfare could be a short distance (Scotland to Dublin) or longer (Mexico to Dublin)
2.3 Meals during travel July 22 and July 25 $10-20 per meal $1800.00 Meals covered depends on time departing and arriving.
2.4 Travel Insurance 20 $100 per person $2,000.00 Must be purchased in country - cannot be issued from Ireland
2.5 Visa 15 (estimate) $94 per person $1410.00 $81 single entry visa fee + $13 mail fees
2.6 COVID tests 20 people $10 per test 400.00.00 One test before/after travel
Total Bill 2 $28,910.00
Budget Part 3: Partial Scholarships/Grants
Item Qty Rate Total US Estimate Remarks
3.1 Travel $50 - 1500 $15000 Airfare, Visa, Travel Insurance, Train, or Bus.
3.2 Accommodations 20 people 3 nights for $55 per night $3300 Maynooth University Accomodations
Total Bill 3 $18,300.00
Budget Part 4: Meetup Days, July 23 and 24
Item Qty Rate Total US Estimate Remarks
4.1 Maynooth University Meeting Rooms 2 days No Cost No Cost
4.2 Catering Lunch and Dinner x 2 days $25 per meal $10,000.00 Saturday catering cost may be combined with evening event. Breakfast is included with room at Maynooth Acoommodations.
4.3 Snacks/Coffee/Tea/Drinks 2 days $1,000.00
4.4 Social Event Saturday Evening $20 per person $2,000.00
4.5 Childcare $500.00 Cover childcare expenses upon request
4.6 Keynote/Invited Speakers 2 $2,500.00 Travel expenses, accomodations, fee
Total Bill 4 $18,500.00
Budget Part 5: Contingency
Item Qty Rate Total US Estimate Remarks
5.1 10% Contingency of total budget $7,000.00
Total Bill 5 $7,000.00
Budget Part 6: Total
Item Qty Rate Total US Estimate Remarks
6.1 Budget 1 $4,534.00
6.2 Budget 2 $28,910.00
6.3 Budget 3 $18,300.00
6.4 Budget 4 $18, 500.00
6.5 Budget 5 $7,000.00
6.6 Total Bill 6 $77,244.00


Total cost of event
$77,224.00 USD
Total amount requested from the Conference and Event Grants program
$77,244.00
Additional sources of revenue that may fund part of this event, and amounts funded
Maynooth University will supply venue meeting locations (1 room seating approximately 100 people and four breakout rooms seating approximately 25 people each) in exchange for acknowledgment on promotion materials. We are considering a registration fee, but have not made a decision.
Please confirm that you are aware that changes to the approved budget beyond 10% in any category must be approved in advance.
Yes

Discussion[edit]

Endorsements[edit]

Do you think this project should be selected for a Conference Grant? Please add your name and rationale for endorsing this project to the list below. Other feedback, questions or concerns from community members are also highly valued, but please post them on the talk page of this proposal.

Librarians are natural contributors to the Wikimedia Movement. I un bibliothécaire view this as a very important event to bring librarians together to strategize and think of ways we can better support and contribute to the Wikimedia Movement. I know Laurie from afar and had the opportunity to publish her edited book. She is professional, inclusive and delivers. Under her co-leadership, I think this conference will be a great success and help bring more librarians into the Wikimedia Movement. - BiblioQC / Michael David MILLER, Associate Librarian - Bibliohtécaire agrégé, McGill University Library - Bibliothèque de l’Université McGill

Strong support Strong support - I endorse this project because it will give both new and existing Wiki librarians from different locations the opportunity to learn, collaborate, and contribute to Wikimedia projects.Olugold (talk) 21:07, 8 April 2022 (UTC)

Strong support Strong support - I endorse this project for its great value to global librarians' inclusion and participation in Wikimedia projects. Ngostary2k (talk) 01:12, 9 April 2022 (UTC)

Strong support Strong support - This project will be of great influence in meeting Librarians all over the world, sharing knowledge and experience about Wikipedia and other sister projects Linason Blessing (talk) 02:26, 9 April 2022 (UTC)

Olabisi11 (talk) 06:00, 9 April 2022 (UTC) The project will help librarians across the world to understand the various activities of Wikipedia and the roles they can play in making people understand how they can use Wikipedia. It's also an avenue for networking.

Strong support Strong support-- It is a timely project that seeks to shape and strengthen relationship between the Wikimedia Foundation and the library world through knowledge and experience exchange.Atibrarian (talk) 20:33, 11 April 2022 (UTC)

Strong support Strong support - I endorse this project because it will give librarians an opportunity to focus on all things Wikipedia and to learn and collaborate around Wikipedia and the sister projects. IngridThomson (talk)

Strong support Strong support - While it is helpful to provide a space and opportunities to meet, holding this event adjacent to the IFLA 2022 WliC will allow for global participation and strengthen the Wikimedia Library community. Smallison (talk) 01:49, 14 April 2022 (UTC)

Strong support Strong support - This is an important event not only for librarians but also for those that work alongside them in roles related information literacy, research, and written communication - especially in secondary and postsecondary contexts. Matthewvetter (talk) 13:37, 22 April 2022 (UTC)

Strong support Strong support I strongly support this from a regional libarian point of view with international outlook: https://saxorum.hypotheses.org/6803 feat. d:Wikidata:1Lib1Nearby --Jeb (talk) 20:33, 24 April 2022 (UTC)

Strong support Strong support I have been working on various aspects of Wikipedia + libraries for nearly 20 years, and in that time, though we've had many glam meetups and many invitation-only or regional gatherings for groups of librarians and many sessions and meetups at conferences like Wikimania, I don't think we have had an international librarian-focused meeting like this. It will be a good focused chance to meet others and talk about ideas. -- phoebe | talk 22:12, 27 April 2022 (UTC)

Strong support Strong support - I, and our organization Réseau Mikanda, endorse this project. Our daily work as librarians in DRC will use this opportunity to share our best practices and collaborate with Wikipedia. Rçag (talk) 08:08, 29 April 2022 (UTC)