Wikimedians in Residence Exchange Network

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WREN

Wikimedians in Residence Exchange Network

The Wikimedians in Residence Exchange Network (WREN) is a recognized Wikimedia user group and affiliate which arranges professional networking among Wikimedians in residence to share peer to peer support with each other, although any Wikimedian is invited to participate in WREN activities, which include:

1. offering membership and organizational affiliation for Wikimedians in Residence
2. regular online meetups for anyone to present their projects to get peer to peer feedback
3. mailing list discussions by email
4. bringing Wikimedians in Residence together for professional networking

Any Wikimedian in Residence or community member interested in cultural, heritage, and scientific collaboration can join the group. There are no particular commitments to joining. However, for the benefit of each individual in this role and for the benefit of the professional network, this organization does encourage all Wikimedians in Residence to publicly document and report their activities in any conventional wiki way. If you document your activities, then please list your documentation on the agenda of the next meeting or share it in the mailing list to get support from other participants.

Previous meetings

• See the reports

Background

Wikimedian-in-Residence collaborations are typically made with cultural, heritage, scientific, or educational organizations. While many high profile engagements are in the GLAM ("galleries, libraries, archives, and museums"), collaboration can be as diverse with universities, medical programs, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), government agencies, or any institution that is centered on knowledge in the public interest. The WREN user group provides communication channels connecting past and current Wikimedians-in-Residence, supporting new activities and projects, providing guidelines and material for both residents and institutions, all for the betterment of the works being developed.

Mission and Goals

The Wikimedians in Residence Exchange Network advocates for Wikimedia community members in professional or volunteer roles at institutions.

Goals of the organization include defining and protecting the common elements of the Wikimedian in Residence role, creating a peer support network which invites new and experienced Wikimedians in Residence to find each other for collaboration, and to encourage a global professional environment which inspires institutions to offer appointments to persons to engage with Wikimedia projects.

History

In 2006 llywrch published "Wikipedian-in-residence, a proposal" articulating in print the concept of a liaison between Wikimedia projects and external organizations with domain expertise. Following that proposal came various efforts which developed a culture of professional engagement in Wikipedia. In the United States, the United States Public Policy Initiative began to train and professionalize persons at universities to collaborate with Wikimedia projects. This program had as two major outcomes the Wiki Education Foundation which supports wiki engagement at universities in the United States and Canada and the Wikipedia:India Education Program which brought many experiments and Wikipedia position appointments in India. Around the same time there were various other Wikipedian in Residence appointments made in health or in "GLAM" organizations, which are "galleries, libraries, archives, and museums". Since then, Wikimedians-in-Residence have increased in number and diversity of roles continuously.

Wikimedians in Residence had been meeting online and in person from the beginning. At one such meeting at the 2017 Wikimania Conference, Wikimanians in Residence at a "Birds of a Feather"-themed session established this organization, the Wikimedian in Residence Exchange Network or WREN. The intent of this organization is to showcase and promote Wikimedian in Residence projects and to encourage mutual social support among people in these positions.