Hello from The Wikipedia Library (TWL) !
The past 2 years we've been setting up a foundation to help top Wikipedia
editors access reliable sources. That has meant donation partnerships from
JSTOR, Oxford University Press, Elsevier, and dozens of others.
What we have done less of is help promote and expose open access content on
Wikipedia. I've heard from some of you that this is an opportunity, if not
a gap, so I've started to address it.
1. The TWL home page now has an above-the-fold link to or Open Access
Sources page:
http://enwp.org/WP:TWL
2. Our navigation header now has a clickable link to Open Access Button:
http://enwp.org/WP:TWL/Header
3. Our Open Access page highlights where to find OA sources, how editors
learn about OA, how to support OA declarations, mandates, and
organizations, and how to get involved with initiatives. We also discuss
some ways The Wikipedia Library can advance OA, from supporting the OA
Signalling project, to engaging in discussions about the relationship
between OA-ness and 'verifiability' on Wikipedia:
http://enwp.org/WP:TWL/OA
I'm hoping you will take a quick look through these pages and give me some
feedback. Of course, since it's Wikipedia, if you see something you want
to add or fix, please do so.
I also want to start a conversation about next steps. The Wikipedia
Library is taking on a broader scope than just getting editors access;
indeed as our original intention to be an open research hub, we are laying
the groundwork for a number of partnerships that improve article content.
I initially thought, 'OA content is already available, so there is little
left to do'. I see now that partnerships geared towards advocacy,
discoverability, and usage would still be valuable.
In order to do that over the next few quarters, I am going to need
consultation and collaboration. I would ideally contract an "OA
Coordinator" who could help spearhead some of these projects on Wikipedia.
If you have any ideas for names, please pass them on.
Thanks so much for your varied support, feedback, and ongoing work in this
advancing mission towards not just free knowledge but free access to the
sources that underlie it.
Best,
Jake Orlowitz
Head of The Wikipedia Library
www.wikipedialibrary.org
jorlowitz(a)wikimedia.org
@JakeOrlowitz