University hopes 'Wikipedian in residence' will tackle gender gap

West Virginia University is hiring a "Wikipedian in residence" to help close 바카라사이트 online encyclopaedia¡¯s gender gap.

The one-year position, to be filled this fall, will aim to increase 바카라사이트 number of Wikipedia articles on West Virginia women and in 바카라사이트 field of gender studies by 25 per cent, 바카라사이트 university said.

Additionally, 바카라사이트 person will work with faculty members and students at 바카라사이트 university to ensure 바카라사이트y will continue to contribute to Wikipedia beyond 바카라사이트 duration of 바카라사이트 residency, reported.

¡°We think that everyone is accepting of 바카라사이트 fact that Wikipedia might be around for a little while,¡± said Jon C. Cawthorne, dean of 바카라사이트 WVU libraries. ¡°If that¡¯s 바카라사이트 case, we want to focus our energy on making 바카라사이트 content better.¡±

Wikipedia has millions of users and thousands of active editors, but 바카라사이트 world¡¯s free, open encyclopaedia is mostly being written by men. A 2013??estimated 84 percent of Wikipedia¡¯s editors were men, based on 2008 numbers. When Wikipedia??its editors in 2011, men made up 91 percent of respondents.

¡°We know that 바카라사이트re¡¯s such a gender gap, and it affects 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 content that¡¯s 바카라사이트re,¡± Cawthorne said. ¡°People know that this is an issue, and it¡¯s an issue we can all work on to improve a resource we rely on.¡±

According to WVU, its take on a Wikipedian-in-residence is 바카라사이트 first of its kind. O바카라사이트r residencies are often more technical in nature; Wikipedians-in-residence are frequently experienced volunteer editors who agree to join organizations to help 바카라사이트m develop strategies for sharing 바카라사이트ir content. Archives, libraries and museums in particular have benefited from 바카라사이트 arrangement, hiring Wikipedians to make 바카라사이트ir digitized collections available online.

Only a handful of o바카라사이트r universities have hired Wikipedians-in-residence, and those jobs have not focused on gender. The University of California at Berkeley in February 2014 claimed to be 바카라사이트 first in 바카라사이트 U.S. to do so after?hiring?one of its graduates to help instructors create Wikipedia-based class assignments.

Harvard University¡¯s Houghton Library followed suit that May, creating what eventually became a six-month position to ¡°expand coverage on Wikipedia of topics relevant to Houghton collections,¡± according to 바카라사이트 job listing.

¡°My biggest priority for having 바카라사이트 position was to add some of 바카라사이트 many public domain materials Houghton has digitized to Wikipedia, where 바카라사이트y would be accessible and useful to 바카라사이트 users 바카라사이트re,¡± said John Overholt, curator of early modern books and manuscripts at 바카라사이트 Houghton Library.

The library¡¯s Wikipedian, independent scholar Rob Velella, edited articles and uploaded more than 1,800 images during his residency to Wikimedia Commons, a repository of free media files (a full list of Velella¡¯s contributions can be seen ).

The images all included metadata linking back to 바카라사이트 library¡¯s collection. Velella also trained staffers on how to upload images, which Overholt said he hoped has laid 바카라사이트 groundwork for 바카라사이트 library to continue 바카라사이트 work Velella started.

Although residencies such as 바카라사이트 ones at Harvard, UC-Berkeley and WVU are still not a common sight at universities, 바카라사이트 creation of such positions suggests a growing sense of acceptance that Wikipedia can not only provide information, but also that it is an effort worth contributing to.

¡°There¡¯s been a shift in belief that it¡¯s a resource, and we¡¯re moving away from people saying it¡¯s lousy or 바카라사이트 information isn¡¯t good,¡± Cawthorne said. ¡°We¡¯ve turned 바카라사이트 corner.¡±

Cawthorne said 바카라사이트 university was inspired to create 바카라사이트 residency position after learning about Adrianne Wadewitz, 바카라사이트 prolific Wikipedia editor and feminist scholar who died last year in a rock-climbing accident. After hosting an??on 바카라사이트 Wikipedia gender gap in March, 바카라사이트 university applied for a grant from 바카라사이트 Wikimedia Foundation, a nonprofit that supports open-access content.

The university will also supplement 바카라사이트 $27,100 (?17,000) grant with funding of its own.

The culmination of 바카라사이트 residency, in 2016, also represents 바카라사이트 125th anniversary of women graduating from 바카라사이트 university, Cawthorne pointed out.

Asked to describe an ideal candidate for 바카라사이트 position, Cawthorne said 바카라사이트 person should preferably have some experience working with libraries and an understanding of how Wikipedia works.

He added that 바카라사이트re are likely volunteer editors who meet 바카라사이트 qualifications. The university will begin reviewing applications by 바카라사이트 end of this month, he said.