Beyond the Wikipedian-in-Residence, or how to keep the flame burning

Abstract

In 2017, the Biblioteca Daniel Cosío Villegas, an academic (and public) library in Mexico City, drafted the first grant-funded project in the region for training academic librarians in the Wikimedia universe. Drawing on my experience coordinating this project, this case study outlines suggestions for ensuring the continuity of Wikipedia and other Wikimedia endeavors in libraries. Before going in detail, I offer background data on Wikipedians-in-Residence (WIR) experiences around the globe, followed by the specific characteristics this position has had in different libraries. I then present a brief timeline of our project, an overview of our first “flame” (the #1Bib1Ref campaign), the ways we kept the “Wiki-flame” burning: leveraging our team’s strengths and collaborating, and some ideas on how to build your own “fireplace” through a minimal viable product approach, documentation, and feedback (where I share some thoughts on why Wikipedia may not even be the fireplace you were looking for, and that’s ok).