Wikimedia chapters/Reports/Wikimedia Nederland/20164

April 2016

Community and Participation

Community health: training online communication skills started

On April 2, WMNL organised a workshop on improving online communication skills. The training was given by Alexander Waringa of ECoachpro, a consultancy specialised in online coaching. Twelve active members of the community, including moderators and ArbCom-members, learned about different modes of communication and were taught how to 'read between the lines'. By analysing an online message line-by-line, it can become clear what the writer actually is looking for and what kind of response will really help him, and avoid conflict. In the next phase of the training the participants will get the chance to practice these skills when they are asked to help a new editor who is encountering problems.

Content

Gendergap

On April 20th we were invited by Atria and Huygens Instituut to give a Wikipedia introduction. 22 participants learned more about Wikipedia and the posibility to contribute to Wikipedia. Participants are invited to join our Gendergap WikiZaterdag (once per month) for follow up. In the afternoon WMNL board member Marike van Roon gave a talk about how Wikipedia supports GLAM's and she was part of the discussion panel at the end.

The Netherlands and the world

Wikimedia Nederland started a new project in april: The Netherlands and the world. Over the centuries the Netherlands have developed close ties with many countries through trade and colonialism. Shared cultural heritage has evolved in the Netherlands and in these countries.
With the project “The Netherlands and the world” Wikimedia Nederland wants to increase free access to knowledge about shared cultural heritage with countries the Netherlands have developed close ties over the centuries. And we want to stimulate active participation of GLAM partners and the Wikimedia community, both in the Netherlands and in other countries.
We want to develop partnerships and activities, with Wikipedians and Wikimedians worldwide and with knowledge and heritage institututions that want to share and connect relevant collections.
In april the project was introduced to the Dutch Wikipedia community.

Donation by the National Museum of World Cultures

The National Museum of World Cultures (a merger of the former Tropenmuseum, the Museum Volkenkunde and the Afrika Museum) donated a collection of 720 images to Wikimedia Commons. This donation consists of photos of objects from the museum's collection, and of photos taken during Dutch scientific and military expeditions in Suriname and the Dutch East Indies.

Donation by the KITLV

The Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies and Leiden University Library donated 3114 images to Wikimedia Commons as a follow-up to an earlier donation containing 2400+ images. The new donation contains photos, lithos, drawings, watercolours showing people, landscapes, plantations, plants and butterflies from countries such as Suriname, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan and Singapore. The upload was carried out by Hans Muller. WMNL helped make this donation gain more attention by spreading the word on mailing lists and relevant talk pages of Wikipedia-projects.

Wikipedia and Public Libraries

The project Wikipedia and Public Libraries kicked off with photohunts at 4 locations. The photohunt of Eemhuis in Amersfoort took place on 22 april, those of OBA Hagedoornplein, Theek5 (Rijen/Oosterhout) and Bibliotheek Arnhem on 23 April. Each day started with a short introduction in Wikipedia and photography, followed by the actual photohunt where participants were asked to take photos of local heritage, either monuments or objects (in the case of Arnhem and Theek5). Participation was good, as was the upload rate to Commons. In Amersfoort, 10 people were present; 143 images were uploaded. OBA Hagedoornplein: 19 participants, 148 images. Theek5: 14 participants, 148 uploaded images. Bibliotheek Arnhem: 10 participants, 72 images. Participants in Amsterdam were asked to fill out an evaluation; the results indicate that the participants enjoyed the activity and would be interested in seeing more Wikipedia-related activities in their library.

Edit-a-thon Tresoar Attic Nights (Noctes Atticae)

On april the 14th there was a edit-a-thon in Tresoar, the archive of the region Frisia. The theme was the work Attic Nights by Aulus Gellius, fitting with the national Week of the Classics. This Roman scholar wrote at the end of the second century BC this work with a variety of facts about literature, linguistics, philosophy and history. Tresoar has the oldest manuscript (approx. 836) of the Attic Nights. This manuscript will shortly be uploaded to Wikimedia Commons. There were 4 participants (including 2 new volunteers), 8 people in total involved and eleven attendees with the reading.

Communication and publicity

We sent out our newsletter of April 2016

Governance and organization

General meeting

We start the general meeting on 16 april with tompoezen (a Dutch treat), because of the 10-year anniversary of Wikimedia Nederland. The annual report was discussed and approved by 2015. 25 volunteers were present.

Wikimedia Conference

Boardmembers Frans Grijzenhout, Bart Nieuwenhuis and Ad Huikeshoven, and Executive Director Sandra Rientjes attended the Wikimedia Conference in Berlin. Frans Grijzenhout was co-organiser of a training for new Board Members. Sandra Rientjes gave a presentation about community health.

Other relevant events in the NL- Wikimedia community, not organised by WMNL

Double writing week Brussel

300 articles were written during the double writing week about Brussel. 70 volunteers went to work to write new articles and to complete existing items. Serval workshops are organized in collaboration with Brussels libraries.