Brian McNeil's productive work in Edinburgh. I particularly like the idea of recruiting newbies at libraries - with all those lovely old printed references right there to hand. Get those library computers being used for more than webmail. This could work anywhere. - d. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: <brian.mcneil(a)wikinewsie.org> Date: 22 May 2012 13:03 Subject: [Wikimediauk-l] Lum Hats in Paradise To: wikimediauk-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org Hola! From a non-Wikipedian Wikimedian - in Edinburgh - who is delighted with the response from some tentative outreach work. I spend around an hour this morning touring Edingburgh's Central Library with Fiona Myles, took around 150 photos of the interior of the building, and _hope_ I've laid the groundwork for us to work far more closely in future. I have, dependent on copyright, a verbal agreement to get high-res scans of the plans of the building (A Carnegie Library), a keen interest to have librarians briefed on Wikipedia - if not outright encouraged to contribute, and the possibility of running recruitment/induction sessions in Edinburgh. Which, for the unwashed masses, is a UNESCO City of Literature. Given the piss-poor representation up here in Scotland, I think that's a major win. My next job, as interim 'cowboy liasion' between Wikimedia UK and Museums Galleries Scotland is to get a few councillors calling for all publicly funded publications to be under a CC-BY license. Any, and all, encouragement welcome. Any Englandshire Wikimedians wh plan to visit Edingburgh in the next 6-12 months, please feel free to drop me a mail. If I can get you meetings with people, or privileged access for photography, I will. Fun and frivolity aside, with limited Internet access I've come to the conclusion that public libraries are the way to recruit. Brief the staff of what makes a good Wikipedia article - half of them know already - then a simple static display may encourage locals to try their hand. Here in Edinburgh I suspect I can, without too many problems, get articles put into about a half-dozen languages with keen help from library staff. And this message's title? Purloined from a book on the city's libraries. Brian McNeil -- Wikinews, Accredited Reporter. Personal: brian.mcneil(a)o2.co.uk "Facts don't cease to be facts, but news ceases to be news." _______________________________________________ Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l(a)wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org