Linnea Minich, Research and Instruction Librarian at Bowdoin Library, delivered an interactive workshop titled “Citation Needed: Weaving Together Citation and Information Sharing with WikiEdu”, at LOEX, an annual conference on library instruction and information literacy in Pasadena, CA. Workshop participants used WikiEdu resources to determine which Wikipedia articles are most in need of improvement, then practiced adding a citation to those articles.
WikiEdu is a Wikipedia training and instruction platform offering training modules, customizable course pages, and classroom programs. While these resources are designed for semester-long courses, Minich demonstrated to workshop participants that these resources can be used in individual classes and other time-limited library settings to demystify the technically complex world of Wikipedia editing. As Wikipedia articles are subject to peer review by the community, this kind of participation can help students understand citation as a crucial part of the knowledge-sharing process, rather than as a formality.
The WikiEdu curriculum emphasizes the importance of improving representation on Wikipedia for under-represented groups. In Minich’s workshop, she showed participants how to find important articles that need to be improved by looking at WikiProjects like Indigenous peoples of North America and African diaspora. These WikiProjects are formed by groups of Wikipedia editors working to improve articles in a particular area.
Minich notes, “even though this workshop was during the last session block at the conference, I had some enthusiastic participation. The audience asked helpful questions about the practical side of these activities, and about Wikipedia and WikiEdu. I have used WikiEdu in three semester-long courses previously. It was great to have the opportunity to experiment with how this can be applied at Bowdoin to help students think about citations differently.”
Hawthorne-Longfellow and Hubbard are undergoing some improvements this summer, including an improved circulation desk and some shifting of collections, and there will occasionally be noise and commotion as that work happens.
Your work may be independent, but you don’t need to work alone. Come together Friday mornings from 9-12 in the Research Lab in H-L. You bring your work and we’ll provide snacks, beverages, and camaraderie. Librarians and BCLT staff are ready to help if needed. Starts Friday, October 13 and goes until December 15. Please contact 
As of the fall semester, Research Librarians are moving their research support operations from the Research Desk to the adjacent Research Lab. We are excited about the greater potential for interactive research support for faculty and students provided by the space! In the Research Lab, Research Librarians will continue to provide expert in-person or remote research assistance.
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