Hi all,
I just wanted to let you all know that Friday was my last day as Wikipedian in Residence at the US National Archives. I would like to thank you all who helped make the project a success. It has been a great year, and I think we accomplished a lot more than either I or NARA had hoped for at the start, especially importantly in helping to change the culture of the institution and gaining several advocates for our cause from the ranks of NARA's professionals, including David Ferriero himself. I am a little sad to see it end, but I am grateful to have been given the opportunity.
NARA is not going to be hiring a new Wikipedian in Residence in the short term—my leaving ultimately came down to human resources issues, not because I wanted to go or they wanted me to leave. There is a possibility that they will create a permanent position if they can get approval, but that may take a long time. In any case, the institution is still quite Wikipedia-friendly, and I expect them to remain allies in some capacity.
And, of course, I still intend to remain involved in GLAM efforts, whether it is here in DC or elsewhere. :-)
Dominic
Dominic, Congratulations for a job well done! You accomplished a lot for the NARA and for Wikipedia. I can imagine it seems a bit of an anti-climax to leave due to Human Resource issues, but it's not surprising. Sharing data is not the top priority of most cultural institutions these days. Everyone seems to be scrambling for survival and I can imagine with the elections coming up, the spending of the NARA as all other US Gov't institutions has to reflect targets as closely as possible to prove their mandate for the next administration, whatever it will bring. Jane 2012/10/21 Dominic McDevitt-Parks mcdevitd@gmail.com
Hi all,
I just wanted to let you all know that Friday was my last day as Wikipedian in Residence at the US National Archives. I would like to thank you all who helped make the project a success. It has been a great year, and I think we accomplished a lot more than either I or NARA had hoped for at the start, especially importantly in helping to change the culture of the institution and gaining several advocates for our cause from the ranks of NARA's professionals, including David Ferriero himself. I am a little sad to see it end, but I am grateful to have been given the opportunity.
NARA is not going to be hiring a new Wikipedian in Residence in the short term—my leaving ultimately came down to human resources issues, not because I wanted to go or they wanted me to leave. There is a possibility that they will create a permanent position if they can get approval, but that may take a long time. In any case, the institution is still quite Wikipedia-friendly, and I expect them to remain allies in some capacity.
And, of course, I still intend to remain involved in GLAM efforts, whether it is here in DC or elsewhere. :-)
Dominic
GLAM mailing list GLAM@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/glam
Jane, I know this particular HR situation has more to do with Dominic's student status than it does with any sort of politics. This is a good thing, because it means that they are trying to remedy the HR loophole that Dominic essentially fell into. Unfortunately it means that there's now a break in his residency.
I'll reiterate Dominic's point about NARA as a Wikimedia ally. It's been truly inspiring to see how supportive they have been over the past two years, David Ferriero in particular (I mean, in my opinion the Wikimania closing plenary will go down in history : ).
I'm selfishly kind of glad Dominic has a few months off to focus on GLAM-Wiki US stuff—because I'll be putting him to work! (Kidding... but not really.) : )
Chin up, Dominic! And thanks for sharing the latest with us.
Lori
On Sun, Oct 21, 2012 at 1:02 PM, Jane Darnell jane023@gmail.com wrote:
Dominic, Congratulations for a job well done! You accomplished a lot for the NARA and for Wikipedia. I can imagine it seems a bit of an anti-climax to leave due to Human Resource issues, but it's not surprising. Sharing data is not the top priority of most cultural institutions these days. Everyone seems to be scrambling for survival and I can imagine with the elections coming up, the spending of the NARA as all other US Gov't institutions has to reflect targets as closely as possible to prove their mandate for the next administration, whatever it will bring. Jane 2012/10/21 Dominic McDevitt-Parks mcdevitd@gmail.com
Hi all,
I just wanted to let you all know that Friday was my last day as Wikipedian in Residence at the US National Archives. I would like to thank you all who helped make the project a success. It has been a great year, and I think we accomplished a lot more than either I or NARA had hoped for at the start, especially importantly in helping to change the culture of the institution and gaining several advocates for our cause from the ranks of NARA's professionals, including David Ferriero himself. I am a little sad to see it end, but I am grateful to have been given the opportunity.
NARA is not going to be hiring a new Wikipedian in Residence in the short term—my leaving ultimately came down to human resources issues, not because I wanted to go or they wanted me to leave. There is a possibility that they will create a permanent position if they can get approval, but that may take a long time. In any case, the institution is still quite Wikipedia-friendly, and I expect them to remain allies in some capacity.
And, of course, I still intend to remain involved in GLAM efforts, whether it is here in DC or elsewhere. :-)
Dominic
GLAM mailing list GLAM@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/glam
GLAM mailing list GLAM@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/glam
Interesting! Does this mean there will be a semi-permanent position there? Hopefully the NARA will groom its employees to all become Wikipedians-on-site and eventually will no longer need help.
2012/10/22 Lori Phillips lori.byrd.phillips@gmail.com
Jane, I know this particular HR situation has more to do with Dominic's student status than it does with any sort of politics. This is a good thing, because it means that they are trying to remedy the HR loophole that Dominic essentially fell into. Unfortunately it means that there's now a break in his residency.
I'll reiterate Dominic's point about NARA as a Wikimedia ally. It's been truly inspiring to see how supportive they have been over the past two years, David Ferriero in particular (I mean, in my opinion the Wikimania closing plenary will go down in history : ).
I'm selfishly kind of glad Dominic has a few months off to focus on GLAM-Wiki US stuff—because I'll be putting him to work! (Kidding... but not really.) : )
Chin up, Dominic! And thanks for sharing the latest with us.
Lori
On Sun, Oct 21, 2012 at 1:02 PM, Jane Darnell jane023@gmail.com wrote:
Dominic, Congratulations for a job well done! You accomplished a lot for the NARA and for Wikipedia. I can imagine it seems a bit of an anti-climax to leave due to Human Resource issues, but it's not surprising. Sharing data is not the top priority of most cultural institutions these days. Everyone seems to be scrambling for survival and I can imagine with the elections coming up, the spending of the NARA as all other US Gov't institutions has to reflect targets as closely as possible to prove their mandate for the next administration, whatever it will bring. Jane 2012/10/21 Dominic McDevitt-Parks mcdevitd@gmail.com
Hi all,
I just wanted to let you all know that Friday was my last day as Wikipedian in Residence at the US National Archives. I would like to thank you all who helped make the project a success. It has been a great year, and I think we accomplished a lot more than either I or NARA had hoped for at the start, especially importantly in helping to change the culture of the institution and gaining several advocates for our cause from the ranks of NARA's professionals, including David Ferriero himself. I am a little sad to see it end, but I am grateful to have been given the opportunity.
NARA is not going to be hiring a new Wikipedian in Residence in the short term—my leaving ultimately came down to human resources issues, not because I wanted to go or they wanted me to leave. There is a possibility that they will create a permanent position if they can get approval, but that may take a long time. In any case, the institution is still quite Wikipedia-friendly, and I expect them to remain allies in some capacity.
And, of course, I still intend to remain involved in GLAM efforts, whether it is here in DC or elsewhere. :-)
Dominic
GLAM mailing list GLAM@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/glam
GLAM mailing list GLAM@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/glam
-- Lori Phillips Digital Marketing Content Coordinator The Children's Museum of Indianapolis
US Cultural Partnerships Coordinator Wikimedia Foundation
703.489.6036 | http://loribyrdphillips.com/
GLAM mailing list GLAM@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/glam