GLAMTLV2018/Submissions/Wikipedia on the Road: Training Librarians in Bulgaria

Submission no. 90
Title of the submission
Wikipedia on the Road: Training Librarians in Bulgaria
Etherpad

Author(s) of the submission
--Justine.toms (talk) 12:20, 28 April 2018 (UTC)[reply]
E-mail address
Justine.toms@gmail.com
Country of origin
Bulgaria
Affiliation, if any (organisation, company etc.)

Type of session
  • Talk (the usual conference, format. 30 min)
Length of session
30
Ideal number of attendees


Abstract

Since the beginning of 2017, several Bulgarian Wikimedians have started a partnership with the Global Libraries - Bulgaria Foundation. In 2017, we had 3 trainings for librarians in Kiustendil, Stara Zagora and Vratsa regions, with about 12-15 attendees in each one-day training. In 2018 we are invited to conduct two-day wiki trainings in about 10 new Bulgarian city libraries, in the period from May to October.

For us, this is a huge opportunity to spread the Wikimedia enthusiasm and knowledge among the librarians in Bulgaria. Up to now, we have had other GLAM collaborations with the National Archives and some museums, but this opportunity helps us understand better the needs, challenges and specifics of the partnership with libraries (compared to the other GLAMs).

In our talk, we will share more about the challenges to work with libraries: Bulgarian libraries are underfunded, often lacking technical equipment and software, digitalisation tools, even knowledge about their opportunities in 21st century. For this reason, we consider that these trainings will be very welcomed and helpful for libraries as institutions, and the librarians themselves. Given these challenges, we need to adapt our expectations from this partnership and make the most of it. In the beginning, we consider that the training will benefit the libraries to a bigger extent, and Wikip/media will be on the giving side, but this may change over time, and this collaboration may bring new editors and contributors, or at least more ambassadors of Wikipedia among librarians.

What will attendees take away from this session?
  1. Better understanding of the challenges of such partnerships.
  2. The management issues regarding the organisation of a project with such scope - numerous trainings in short period of time.
  3. How to develop the full potential of such training sessions into long term cooperations.
Slides or further information
Special requests

Interested attendees

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  1. ...Shameran81 (talk) 17:47, 3 May 2018 (UTC)[reply]