We are now in the Q&A process with the Wikimania jury, for the Wikimania
2012 DC bid.
Something we've discussed is to create a formal organization to handle the
finances for Wikimania. It could be possible, at a later time, to
transition this organization into our official chapter. This will only
happen after:
1) broad community discussion and participation in the process
2) input from the Wikimedia chapters committee and recommendation to the
Wikimedia board to approve us as a chapter
3) official board approval
To help get the ball rolling and make sure they are aware of our plans for
supporting Wikimania, I sent the chapters committee an initial contact
message. (see below)
Here's our proposed chapter page on meta-wiki:
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_DC (feel free to add your name, as
someone who's interested in the chapter)
We'll keep everyone informed once we hear back and as things progress.
Cheers,
Katie
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: aude <aude.wiki(a)gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Mar 29, 2011 at 4:43 PM
Subject: Wikimedia DC - initial contact
To: chaptercommittee-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org
Wikimedians in the DC area have been talking about forming a local chapter
and would like to proceed in the next months.
Our group has 20+ people actively involved, and drawing as high as 100 to
our WikiXDC event in January. The chapter would help facilitate local
outreach, to GLAM institutions (Smithsonian, National Archives, Library of
Congress, ...), could help support continuation of the campus ambassadors
efforts at Georgetown, etc.
Here is our proposed chapter page on meta-wiki:
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_District_of_Columbia
We are aware that the chapter approval process can take a while, but in the
meantime are putting together a bid to host Wikimania 2012. Although we can
work via Wikimedia NYC to handle Wikimania finances, we are interested to go
ahead and incorporate an organization to handle the financials, strictly for
Wikimania at this point.
As we move along towards organizing the chapter, we would like to leave open
the option for this organization to become the chapter, once we are
approved. We want to make you aware of this and make sure you are okay with
this plan.
I am willing to serve as the point-of-contact for the chapter. We look
forward to moving the process along, with your guidance.
Cheers,
Katie
--
Katie Filbert
filbertk(a)gmail.com
@filbertkm
There is some effort to revive the US Collaboration of the Month, as part of
WikiProject US. This past month, [[George Washington]] was the
collaboration.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:USCOTM
For April, [[Chesapeake Bay]] has the most votes, but technically needs two
more people to vote for the topic. As a local topic, I think we can make
useful contributions and improve the article. Would anyone be interested in
helping with the article?
Cheers,
Katie (@aude)
The Social Learning Summit is being presented at American University
from Friday, April 1 to Sunday, April 3. Here is the schedule
<http://sls11.sched.org/>. Registration is only $11.49
<http://sls11.eventbrite.com/>.
Just thought I'd give it a shout-out if any of you were interested.
--
James Hare
The Wikimania bid deadline passed at 8pm this evening. Our bid is
submitted, with Georgetown University selected as the most suitable and
available venue and dates of July 11-15, 2012. There will be very frequent
shuttle bus service between the venue and the Dupont Circle metro station.
We also considered some hotels in DC, but chose the university, as an
educational institution and inline with the type of venues that have hosted
Wikimania in the past. Other universities include GWU and American were
unavailable/unwilling to work with us or lacked capacity for an event, such
as ours.
Here is our bid page:
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimania_2012/Bids/Washington,_D.C.
Our bid is the only one of the four that has both a venue + budget -- both
critical requirements of a bid.
We still are recruiting additional volunteers. Over the next year and 3-4
months, we will need help with recruiting sponsors. During the conference
itself, we'll need help with things like taking a smallish group (~20
people) sightseeing, among other help.
Big thanks to James (harej) for coordinating the bid, Racepacket for
coordinating the venue, Djembayz, Ser Amantio di Nicolao, Kirill,
Metabrarian, AutoGyro, Sadads, Swatjester, MissVain, and everyone else who
have helped put the bid together.
Cheers,
Katie
I've been thinking about what/how we, as a group, we would like to continue
with collaboration w/ the Smithsonian. One thing that continues is the
Archives of American Art task force [1] (and the Smithsonian American Art
Museum is probably interested/related).
Another thing is that I know SI is crazy interested in geo-mapping. In
Sept. 2009, the local OpenStreetMap group held a mapping party (aka, a
meetup) at the zoo and collected a bit of data, but the map still has
numerous gaps and can use more detail. It would also be great to make some
effort at photographing animals and such there, and maybe organize an
Wikipedia contribution drive for zoo-related topics.
Maybe we could make a special event out of this... Zoo Mapping Party + Wiki
Photo Shere are so many different museums + topics, spread all over the
place, so it's been difficult to focus.afari! Is this something Wikimedia
DC people would be interested in? If so, when? suggestions? ideas?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_talk:GLAM/SI#Zoo_mapping_party_.2B_w…
Or do you have another idea for WP:GLAM/SI?
Cheers,
Katie
"This summer, we hope to strengthen our institutional relationship with the
Wikipedian community by hosting a *Wikipedian in Residence*. We are
currently seeking
applications<http://blogs.archives.gov/aotus/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/national-archive…>for
this student position for the 2011 summer. The Wikipedian will gain an
insider’s look into the National Archives and develop an appreciation for
the records and resources we have available." -- David Ferriero
Full blog post:
http://blogs.archives.gov/aotus/?p=2489
Application + details:
http://j.mp/gdPOXg
Cheers,
Katie
Hi all,
Thought this might be relevant. We've had discussions about something like this with the Smithsonian, now we have a real roadmap.
-Dan
Begin forwarded message:
> From: Florence Devouard <anthere(a)anthere.org>
> Date: March 14, 2011 6:59:41 PM EDT
> To: wmfcc-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org
> Subject: Re: [Wmfcc-l] US National Archives to hire "Wikipedian in Residence" for the summer
> Reply-To: Communications Committee <wmfcc-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org>
>
> On 3/14/11 11:48 PM, Delphine Ménard wrote:
>> On Thu, Mar 10, 2011 at 11:24 PM, Dan Rosenthal<swatjester(a)gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Florence, could you provide me with any more information about that program? We would love it for our discussions with the archives.
>> You might want to start here:
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wikipedia_Signpost/2011-02-21/Versai…
>> and here:
>> http://blog.wikimedia.org/blog/2011/02/17/wikipedia-enters-the-sun-kings-co…
>>
>> :)
>>
>> Delphine
>
> Jeee, you did well to provide him with links. Sorry I forgot you Dan.
>
> Ant
>
> _______________________________________________
> Wmfcc-l mailing list
> Wmfcc-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org
> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wmfcc-l
I've been thinking (irregardless of our Wikimania bid) that it's important
we make some outreach effort in the local area to teach people about
Wikipedia, aim to bring in new editors and increase our diversity, such as
more African Americans & women. It would also be great to reach out to
populations like Ethiopians.
One way for us to do this would be to organize periodic workshops or classes
at the local libraries in DC. We could start out with something at the MLK
library in downtown DC.
Here's our local outreach page (
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_DC/Local_outreach) which needs to
be filled out to make it more than just ideas and include concrete plans to
do something.
Good idea? Who wants to help out? I do have some contacts at DC Library so
could see about arranging something once we have enough of us interested in
doing this.
Cheers,
Katie