2025:Program/Building Digital Librarians: Training Librarians to Contribute to Open Knowledge.

Session title: Building Digital Librarians: Training Librarians to Contribute to Open Knowledge.

Session type: Lightning talk

Track: Lightning Talk Showcase

Language: en

Although many librarians are not familiar with Wikimedia projects and their potential for open information sharing. Librarians are essential to the preservation and dissemination of knowledge. This session will share insights from a training program designed to equip librarians in Gombe, Nigeria, with the skills to contribute to Wikimedia projects. The talk will focus on the value of digital literacy for contemporary librarians, how to involve them in the Wikimedia movement, and how their contributions enhance access to Nigerian cultural knowledge. I led a training to upskill librarians in Gombe on open knowledge practices through Wikimedia projects specifically: equipping 62 librarians in Gombe with skills to contribute to open knowledge using Wikimedia projects. Increasing substantially, librarians participation in Wikimedia projects. Identifying articles to work on and guiding participants on how to improve them. The outcomes led to the improvement of a total of 62 articles, with 88 references added.

Description

Librarians play an important role in documenting, preserving, and disseminating knowledge, yet many are unaware of how Wikimedia projects can serve as powerful tools for open knowledge sharing and cultural preservation. As information professionals, librarians possess the skills necessary to contribute meaningfully to Wikimedia projects, but they often lack the training and awareness to actively engage with these platforms. This session will explore a targeted initiative that sought to bridge this gap by upskilling librarians in Gombe State, Nigeria, to contribute to Wikimedia projects, ensuring their participation in the open knowledge movement.

Through this campaign, 62 librarians were trained on Wikimedia projects, equipping them with the necessary skills to edit, improve, and create content on wikimedia platforms such as Wikipedia, wikidata and Wikimedia Commons. The training aimed to:

Introduce librarians to Wikimedia’s role in open knowledge dissemination and its relevance to libraries.

Identify gaps in Nigerian content on Wikimedia and empower librarians to address these gaps.

Train participants on how to edit and improve Wikimedia articles with a focus on Nigerian libraries and librarians.

Encourage the use of reliable references to improve content credibility.

As a result of this training, the librarians made substantial contributions to Wikimedia projects, leading to the improvement of 62 articles and the addition of 88 references. Beyond these immediate outcomes, the training ignited some of the participant’s interest and engagement, in continuing to contribute beyond the program.

This session will discuss the strategies used to engage librarians, the challenges encountered during implementation, and lessons learned from the training program. It will also highlight the impact of librarian engagement in Wikimedia projects, and explore how libraries can integrate Wikimedia into their services.

Additionally, the session will emphasize the importance of partnerships between libraries and the Wikimedia movement, demonstrating how training librarians can increase access to local knowledge and preserve cultural heritage on digital platforms. Attendees will gain practical insights on how to implement similar training programs in their communities, ensuring the sustainability of librarian participation in Wikimedia projects.

Aims and Objectives: By the end of this session, participants will:

Understand the role of librarians in Wikimedia projects and how their participation can strengthen open knowledge ecosystems.

Learn best practices for engaging librarians in Wikimedia projects, including effective training methodologies and motivation strategies.

Explore the impact of librarian training on Wikimedia contributions, particularly in documenting Nigerian heritage and culture.

Gain insights into the challenges and solutions in implementing Wikimedia training for librarians.

Discover strategies for sustaining librarian participation in Wikimedia projects beyond the initial training phase.

Identify ways to replicate and adapt similar initiatives in other regions, fostering increased representation of local knowledge.

This session is ideal for librarians, GLAM professionals, Wikimedia volunteers, educators, and advocates of open knowledge who are interested in leveraging libraries as hubs for Wikimedia engagement. It will serve as a roadmap for fostering sustainable collaborations between the library and Wikimedia communities, ultimately enhancing access to underrepresented knowledge and promoting cultural preservation through open access platforms.

How does your session relate to the event theme, Wikimania@20 – Inclusivity. Impact. Sustainability?

This session promotes inclusivity by empowering librarians who are key knowledge custodians to participate in Wikimedia projects, ensuring that underrepresented Nigerian heritage are well-documented on open knowledge platforms.

What is the experience level needed for the audience for your session?

Everyone can participate in this session

Resources

• https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/17WpnsGu1wiXaVqGfxBCIqI7LXQdJarIL/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=100804128010404951769&rtpof=true&sd=true
• https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1BkfV4oR55IvKmxUrFLfzaOvO4b5CeV0H/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=100804128010404951769&rtpof=true&sd=true

Speakers

• Meritkosy

Ibekeme Merit is a librarian, educator, and open knowledge advocate passionate about promoting literacy, information access, and digital inclusion. I studied Library and Information Science and as an educator, posseses a post graduate diploma in Education. I am dedicated to bridging knowledge gaps, enhancing access to quality information, and empowering professionals to contribute to open knowledge platforms. I am also a champion for African storybooks and promoted the use of culturally relevant reading materials to improve literacy among children. I have reached over 4,000 children through reading sessions in schools, orphanages, and rural areas, advocating for the inclusion of African narratives in global digital libraries.

I have led Wikimedia training programs in Gombe state, Nigeria which include “Wikimedia awareness and training in Federal College of Education(T), Gombe and “upskilling librarians in Gombe on open knowledge practices through wikimedia project”

As a Wikimedia organizer and facilitator, I have been involved in various in library programs and has participated in different AfLIA training aimed at equipping librarians on wikimedia projects. I am also the program manager of Wikimedia Gombe Network where I contribute my quote in running the network.