Grants:Project/Rapid/Scanner for Assamese Wikimedia Projects

statusdraft

Rapid Grants

Scanner for Assamese Wikimedia Projects

Scanner for Assamese Wikimedia community for resource exchange and availability, book scanning and image scanning

targetAssamese Wikipedia, Assamese Wikisource, Commons and English Wikisource (in future)

budget (local currency)Rs. (INR)

budget (USD)$ (USD)

grant typeGroup

grantee• Mridul Kumar Sharmah

contact(s)• mridul.ksgmail.com• Gitartha Bordoloi

friendly space expectations

ucc

privacystatement

Create your report

Please see the sample Equipment application before drafting your application.

Project Goal

Choose one or more of the following goals. You can add or delete goals as needed. You can add details to each goal. For example, if you want to add content on a specific subject.

1. Add or improve content
2. Engage existing editors

Project Plan

Activities

Tell us how you'll carry out your project. Be sure to answer the following questions:
1. What content gaps will you be filling with the equipment?

Assamese is an Indian language chiefly spoken in Assamese, a north-estern state of India and nearby Guwahati city. The language had strong diaspora community across the world. Apart from Assamese Wikipedia, Assamese Wikisource is most active project. Assamese language community also want to expand and make Assamese Wiktionary active again when Lexicographic content of Wikidata will be launched.

The one of problems faced by the Assamese Wikipedia community is lack of useful online content in Assamese and several editors are not fluent in other languages including English. The same problem is big hindrance in retention of new editors too who do not have grasp of English. There are very few Assamese books, magazines and scholarly works available online to be used as a citation. Most citations in Assamese are from offline Assamese books and other sources. It resulted in low number of citations on Assamese Wikipedia articles and poor quality of references. Most citations come from other language sources i.e. English. so we have recently started as a resource exchange page on Assamese Wikipedia. Some of our editors who have access to library. They scan and make relevant pages available to editors via email when they request resource for specific topic or from specific book. They have to use paid scanning services in library to do that. Easy access to Assamese resources online/via resource exchange will help Wikipedia Community.

Very small but strong Assamese Wikisource community is making Assamese Public Domain works available online for the first time because there is no systematic project doing it on the internet except some Assamese books scanned by Internet Archives. Assamese Wikisource has made more than 100 books online since its inception. Assamese Wikisource community frequently needs book scans to type, proofread and make them available online. They are using commercial services to get book scanned. So the availability of scanner will greatly help the Assamese Wikisource.

Lack of public domain/free licensed photos for people/place from Assamese is common problem. We have make some photos online by persuading some people and photographers to make their personal albums available to Commons. The most common problem is that they are on film or physical photos and they need to scanned frequently. Currently we need to use commercial services to do that. We will be also able to upload photos from public domain books and resources.

2. What activities will you organize in the next 6 months to create content and use it on Wikimedia projects?

We may organise one citation-thon to improve citations on Assamese Wikipedia in next six months which will be funded separately. We will make book scans available to Assamese Wikisource whenever they need. We will also upload public domain book scans on other platforms for editors.

3. How will the equipment be shared/tracked/cared for by members of your community?

We have set up a logbook online to track what equipment we own, who is currently using the equipment, when it was checked out, and when it will be returned. The logbook is available at Assamese Wikimedia Scanner Exchange Logbook. The equipment will be lent out on a first come-first served basis. When it is not in use, it will be stored at the home of custodian edior User:Mridul Kumar Sharmah who is most active on resource exchange page. He frequently uploads scanned photos from other people with their OTRS permissions.

4. How long will the equipment be used, and by whom?

We expect the scanner will be used for at least the next 5 years by members of the Assamese Wikimedia community.

5. Is there anything else you want to tell us about this project?

Our current focus is on making resources available for Assamese Wikipedia community and making book scans available for Assamese Wikisouce community. We want to expand its use to make public domain dictionaries available for Assamese Wiktionary in future. Apart from that, we will make more public domain scholarly works online on other platforms like Internet Archives so editors can easily access them and use them without waiting for resources at the resource exchange page when these works are already in public domain.

Impact

How will you know if the project is successful and you've met your goals? Please include the following targets and feel free to add more:

1. Number of resources exchanged on Assamese Wikipedia: 40 over the next 6 months
2. Number of articles created/improved with help of resources on Assamese Wikipedia: 50 over the next 6 months
3. Number of books scanned and made available to Assamese Wikisource: 6 over next 6 months
4. Number of photos uploaded on Commons: 100 over next six months

Resources

What resources do you have? Include information on who is organizing the project, what they will do, and if you will receive support from anywhere else (in-kind donations or additional funding).

Some of our community members already have access to libraries. Our community member, User:Mridul Kumar Sharmah works with libraries will order the scanner, store the scanner when not in use, monitor the Scanner Exchange Log, and coordinate sharing among group members. When he is busy or out of town, Gitartha Bordoloi will store the scanner. We also need a external Hard Disk to store the scanned resource like books and images until they are made available online.

Due to fluctuations in the exchange rate (USD to INR), we will be requesting some more amount as the buffer. We will organize a citation-thon where we will utilize whatever money is left as the prizes for the top performers.

Exchange Rate: 1 USD = INR (10 May 2020)

What resources do you need? For your funding request, list bullet points for each expense and include a total amount.

Resources

Item	Brand	Quantity	Online store	Amount in INR	in USD	Notes
Scanner		1		Rs.	$
Shipping charge (Scanner)	-	-	-	Rs.	$
External Hard Disk (HDD)				Rs.	$
Shipping charge (HDD)	-	-	-
			':	Rs	$
			Exchange Rate Buffer	Rs.	$
			Requested Amount Total:	Rs.	$

Endorsements

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