Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Reviving Malayalam Wikisource Community 2024 (ID: 22764382)

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Applicant Details

Main Wikimedia username. (required)

Manojk

Organization

N/A

If you are a group or organization leader, board member, president, executive director, or staff member at any Wikimedia group, affiliate, or Wikimedia Foundation, you are required to self-identify and present all roles. (required)

N/A

Describe all relevant roles with the name of the group or organization and description of the role. (required)

Main Proposal

1. Please state the title of your proposal. This will also be the Meta-Wiki page title.

Reviving Malayalam Wikisource Community 2024

2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.

2024-10-01 - 2025-03-31

4. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)

India

5. Are your activities part of a Wikimedia movement campaign, project, or event? If so, please select the relevant project or campaign. (required)

Not applicable

6. What is the change you are trying to bring? What are the main challenges or problems you are trying to solve? Describe this change or challenges, as well as main approaches to achieve it. (required)

Malayalam Wikisource emerged as a pioneering force in the realm of Indic Wikisource projects, once boasting a thriving community dedicated to preserving Malayalam literature. However, due to a lack of sustained support from both the local Wikimedia community and the Wikimedia Foundation, the project has faced significant challenges leading to a decline in community engagement. To address this, we aim to reinvigorate the Malayalam Wikisource community by actively supporting scanning initiatives, identifying copyright-free materials, fostering local partnerships, and promoting the relicensing of works. By implementing these strategies, we hope to reignite passion for the project, make attention of old and attract new contributors and create a sustainable platform for preserving Malayalam literary heritage.

Here is the stats https://stats.wikimedia.org/wikisource/EN/SummaryML.htm

IEG Grant attempt in 2014 (Eligibility confirmed, round 2 2014 - Withdrawn) https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:IEG/Digitisation_drive_for_Malayalam_Wikisource

7. What are the planned activities? (required) Please provide a list of main activities. You can also add a link to the public page for your project where details about your project can be found. Alternatively, you can upload a timeline document. When the activities include partnerships, include details about your partners and planned partnerships.

Community Building and Engagement

Revitalizing the Malayalam Wikisource community is a core focus. We plan to re-engage existing members and attract new contributors through a multifaceted approach. This includes organizing regular online and offline community meetings, conducting training programs in partnership with local institutions, and hosting at least six outreach events across Kerala. By fostering a strong sense of community and providing necessary skills, we aim to create a vibrant and active contributor base.

Content Acquisition and Digitization

To enrich the Malayalam Wikisource, we will concentrate on expanding its content. This involves optimizing the book scanning process by addressing challenges like book binding and transportation. We will also prioritize identifying and acquiring copyright-free materials for digitization. By streamlining these processes, we aim to accelerate content growth and ensure the preservation of valuable Malayalam literary works.

Currently User:Tonynirappathu (Wikimedians of Kerala Usergroup's Asset) volunteering in Book Scanning using Czur Scanner and more information about the efforts availbale here https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedians_of_Kerala/Projects/Book_Digitization

Project Management and Platform Enhancement

A dedicated resource will be allocated to oversee project management and platform improvements. This includes addressing template-related issues, updating help pages and documentation, Creating New Home Landing Page and launching new projects and campaigns to stimulate community involvement. Supporting the licensing of books (OTRS) and exploring opportunities for institutional collaborations will be integral to the project's success. Additionally, we will explore opportunities for integrating Malayalam Wikisource content with Wikidata to enhance discoverability. These Wikimedia Expertize efforts planning to do as a partly paid Wikipedian in residence style.These Wikimedia expertise efforts will be implemented through a part-time paid Wikimedian-in-residence (model) position.

8. Describe your team. Please provide their roles, Wikimedia Usernames and other details. (required) Include more details of the team, including their roles, usernames, Wikimedia group, and whether they are salaried, volunteers, consultants/contractors, etc. Team members involved in the grant application need to be aware of their involvement in the project.

Manoj Karingamadathil (User:Manojk) Sysop Admin at Malayalam Wikisource (Project coordinator and Wikipedian in residence (part-time paid position))

Tony Antony (User:Tonynirappathu) Archivist, Wikimedians of Kerala Usergroup volunteer, (effort expenses to be reimbursed, currently paying from his pocket)

Adithya K (User:Adithyak1997) Malayalam Wikimedian volunteer (community engagement)

9. Who are the target participants and from which community? How will you engage participants before and during the activities? How will you follow up with participants after the activities? (required)

Target participants for this initiative include members of the Malayalam Wikisource community and individuals with a keen interest in Malayalam texts, archives, and heritage. To engage potential participants, we will implement a six-month campaign encompassing both online and offline activities. This includes revitalizing the community's social media presence on platforms like Facebook and Telegram, as well as re-establishing email lists. We will proactively reach out to existing users and actively recruit new contributors through community groups and existing Wikimedia networks.

https://www.facebook.com/mlwikisource https://t.me/mlwikisource https://groups.google.com/g/mlwikilibrarians

10. Does your project involve work with children or youth? (required)

No

10.1. Please provide a link to your Youth Safety Policy. (required) If the proposal indicates direct contact with children or youth, you are required to outline compliance with international and local laws for working with children and youth, and provide a youth safety policy aligned with these laws. Read more here.

N/A

11. How did you discuss the idea of your project with your community members and/or any relevant groups? Please describe steps taken and provide links to any on-wiki community discussion(s) about the proposal. (required) You need to inform the community and/or group, discuss the project with them, and involve them in planning this proposal. You also need to align the activities with other projects happening in the planned area of implementation to ensure collaboration within the community.

The concept of reviving the Malayalam Wikisource community was initially discussed during a Wikimedia Kerala User Group community call. Following this brainstorming session, the project gained traction through idea announcements on Telegram and WhatsApp groups. This outreach resulted in initial interest from community members, including User:Adithya, who expressed a willingness to volunteer.

Ref https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Event:Wikimedians_of_Kerala/Monthly_Meetup/July_2024 https://t.me/mlwikisource/114

12. Does your proposal aim to work to bridge any of the content knowledge gaps (Knowledge Inequity)? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)

Language

13. Does your proposal include any of these areas or thematic focus? Select one option that most applies to your work. (required)

Culture, heritage or GLAM

14. Will your work focus on involving participants from any underrepresented communities? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)

Digital Access

15. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select one that most applies. (required)

Increase the Sustainability of Our Movement

Learning and metrics

17. What do you hope to learn from your work in this project or proposal? (required)

This project presents an opportunity to delve deeper into the Malayalam Wikisource ecosystem and identify strategies for its revitalization. Key learning objectives include:

Understanding Community Dynamics: Analyzing the evolving needs and expectations of the Malayalam Wikisource community to inform future engagement and support strategies.
Identifying Content Gaps: Assessing the current state of Malayalam Wikisource content to identify thematic and linguistic gaps that require attention.
Evaluating Digitization Challenges: Understanding the technical and logistical challenges associated with digitizing Malayalam texts, including copyright, preservation, and accessibility issues.
Exploring Collaboration Opportunities: Identifying potential partnerships with institutions and organizations to enhance the project's impact and sustainability.
Developing Effective Outreach Strategies: Evaluating the effectiveness of different outreach methods in engaging new contributors and re-activating dormant community members.
Assessing the Impact of Technology: Exploring the potential of emerging technologies to improve content creation, management, and dissemination on Malayalam Wikisource.

By addressing these questions, we aim to develop a comprehensive understanding of the project's challenges and opportunities, leading to more effective strategies for preserving and promoting Malayalam literature through Wikisource.

18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)

Number of participants, editors, and organizers
Other Metrics	Target	Optional description
Number of participants	60	Expected Min no. Participation
Number of editors	20
Number of organizers	3

Number of content contributions to Wikimedia projects
Wikimedia project	Number of content created or improved
Wikipedia	20
Wikimedia Commons	100
Wikidata	500
Wiktionary
Wikisource	1000
Wikimedia Incubator
Translatewiki
MediaWiki
Wikiquote
Wikivoyage
Wikibooks
Wikiversity
Wikinews
Wikispecies
Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia

Optional description for content contributions.

N/A

19. Do you have any other project targets in numbers (metrics)? (optional)

No

Main Open Metrics Data
Main Open Metrics	Description	Target
N/A	N/A	N/A
N/A	N/A	N/A
N/A	N/A	N/A
N/A	N/A	N/A
N/A	N/A	N/A

20. What tools would you use to measure each metrics? Please refer to the guide for a list of tools. You can also write that you are not sure and need support. (required)

I am utilizing the following tools and methods:

Wikisource Stats Analytics: To track page views, edits, and user engagement.
Community Surveys: To gather feedback on project and participant, planning to use google form.
Social Media Analytics: To measure reach and engagement on platforms like Facebook and Telegram. (https://www.facebook.com/mlwikisource & https://t.me/mlwikisource )
Also use https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/ for event activity documentation and tracking
https://github.com/mlwikisource community build tools also use for analysis the process/

I am eager to explore additional tools and refine these approaches based on the implementation of the project.

Financial proposal

21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1LvpRShIgFgzdTzMGgCcbsNMeTOLU2krq9ZWq-cU9f7k/edit?usp=sharing

22. and 22.1. What is the amount you are requesting for this proposal? Please provide the amount in your local currency. (required)

405500 INR

22.2. Convert the amount requested into USD using the Oanda converter. This is done only to help you assess the USD equivalent of the requested amount. Your request should be between 500 - 5,000 USD.

4843 USD

We/I have read the Application Privacy Statement, WMF Friendly Space Policy and Universal Code of Conduct.

Yes

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Community members are invited to share meaningful feedback on the proposal and include reasons why they endorse the proposal. Consider the following:

Stating why the proposal is important for the communities involved and why they think the strategies chosen will achieve the results that are expected.
Highlighting any aspects they think are particularly well developed: for instance, the strategies and activities proposed, the levels of community engagement, outreach to underrepresented groups, addressing knowledge gaps, partnerships, the overall budget and learning and evaluation section of the proposal, etc.
Highlighting if the proposal focuses on any interesting research, learning or innovation, etc. Also if it builds on learning from past proposals developed by the individual or organization, or other Wikimedia communities.
Analyzing if the proposal is going to contribute in any way to important developments around specific Wikimedia projects or Movement Strategy.
Analysing if the proposal is coherent in terms of the objectives, strategies, budget, and expected results (metrics).

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