How to create a WIKIPEDIA TOWN The story of MonmouthpediA Scan me for more! The story of the idea t all started at a TEDx talk to cover on Wikipedia every single given by Roger Bamkin and notable place, person, artefact, I Steve Virgin, two Wikimedia UK flora, fauna and anything else directors, about how QRpedia related to Monmouth in as many codes had transformed Derby languages as possible, but with a Museum. The talk inspired John special focus on Welsh. Cummings to ask whether there This booklet tells the story of was interest in rolling a similar Monmouthpedia and offers project out across a whole town. a step-by-step guide on how In a flash, the idea that was to create your own Wikipedia to capture so many people’s town. First though, we need to imaginations was born. know what QRpedia codes are, Monmouthpedia is the first since the project depends on Wikimedia project in the world to these codes for its multilingual cover a whole town – Monmouth, functionality. in south Wales. The project aims 2 HOW TO CREATE A WIKIPEDIA TOWN What is QRpedia? Scan for a short video about the project Rpedia was conceived from. However the real answer by Roger Bamkin and is for that person to create the Q Terence Eden. Normal missing translation. It’s interesting that Quick Response (QR) codes QRpedia delivers translations, but when scanned by a smart phone the more important change is that can direct a user to a web page, museums and galleries are trusting QRpedia works by directing users to their visitors to edit the museum’s Wikipedia pages and takes a further knowledge. step by going to the appropriate The technology was first unveiled page in the user’s own language. So, at Derby Museum, England, in April if you were to scan the code on 2011. In the short period of time the Shire Hall in Monmouth with a since then the technology has been smart phone that usually operates in used in Australia, Bulgaria, Catalonia, French, you’d be taken to the French Estonia, Germany and the United Wikipedia article about the building. States, as well as in the UK. The If the Wikipedia article is not available source code for the project has in the user’s language, then they are been made available under the offered a list of languages to choose MIT license. THE STORY OF MONMOUTHPEDIA 3 Why Monmouth? his is a commonly asked no Wikipedians that we knew of question, partly because who lived in the town. What was T many people have never important was that Roger, John heard of Monmouth! At first and Steve presented the concept glance, it may seem an unusual and the town agreed to move choice. After all, it’s not a large the idea forward. Previously wiki- city, nor is it especially famous. projects had been based around However, these factors work in a core of Wikipedians. On this favour of Monmouth, along with project we planned to train people the fact that the council also has a and use remote e-volunteers. We legal requirement to support the think this worked. Welsh language. Over 550 articles relating to Monmouth was actually chosen Monmouth were created during because it was John Cummings’ the project in 30 different languages. home town and because they Over a thousand QRpedia codes were enthusiastic. There were are on display around the town 4 HOW TO CREATE A WIKIPEDIA TOWN Key opportunity Tap into local knowledge, pride and enthusiasm to create lists of existing and potential content. on buildings, street lights, museum artefacts, by local businesses – even in local library books. We were lucky to choose a council who had recently committed to use open licenses. With the encouragement of the project, local people and institutions have released over 1,000 images and videos into the public domain. It is important for partners to realise that we believe in sharing information freely. We had some lengthy discussions but the council wanted to be open; the project was Key risk able to show them how to do it. Be democratic and inclusive – don’t let the project seem like it’s a private club. THE STORY OF MONMOUTHPEDIA 5 Some key comments about MonmouthpediA lyn Moody, writing for Monmouthpedia was an easy Techdirt, questioned choice for me to make, as I was G whether Monmouthpedia born and bred in Monmouth, was the future of Wikipedia. He and it seemed like a good way described the project as creating “a to promote Monmouth and to kind of fractal Wikipedia” likening document the local history which I it to the 2010 film Inception, have learned and researched over potentially enabling “Wikipedia the years. The more I got involved within a Wikipedia within a with Monmouthpedia, I learned Wikipedia.” Within days of the more new information and facts launch, the initiative had led to which proved to be interesting widespread interest. Stevie Benton and enthused me even more.” from Wikimedia UK reported that the project page had been viewed 10,000 times. He also reported there had been inquiries from towns in Norway, England, France, Scotland and Texas, USA. One test of success will however be the project’s ability to attract more tourists to the town. Anthony Cope, a local Wikipedian, said: “Getting involved with 6 HOW TO CREATE A WIKIPEDIA TOWN Core stakeholder engagement large feature of this project hosted codes was the way it managed linking to Ato bring various groups articles on with different interests together bread, baking to unite behind a common goal. It and cake. The wasn’t just Wikipedians involved: local museums Monmouthshire County Council, opened up residents, businesses, cultural their archives to institutions such as Monmouth volunteers as a Museum and students all played resource, not just important roles in making for research but Monmouthpedia a success. The to share images council, in particular, threw their and documents weight behind the project by on Commons. installing a free wi-fi network Local historical societies teamed up across the town and allowing to share their local knowledge and the installation of QRpedia code objects too. plaques on civic buildings. In essence, it was all about the Businesses showed their support by spirit of widespread collaboration displaying codes in their windows, that makes wiki projects and showed more than a little possible, distilled and drip-fed imagination. A bakery, for example, through a town. THE STORY OF MONMOUTHPEDIA 7 Getting started ou need a few things to knows about Monmouthpedia, QR create a Wikipedia town. The codes, smart phones and how useful Y most important thing you can Wikipedia can be. Some people like have is motivation. It’s a big project the local library and the council’s and one which takes a long time. web developer are using ideas and There’s a lot that needs organising, technology they discovered whilst lots of pieces to get in place and a helping with this project. huge amount of work. Unless you’re You can ask people for help but very rich you will require funding. remember you have the world’s What are your objectives? best and free encyclopedia backed Monmouthpedia identified installing by 100,000 volunteers. Make sure 1,000 codes, getting Wikimedia UK you feel that the volunteer’s role on TV and raising the profile of the is in line with our mission. Some town as objectives, but it was implicit potential partners will find it difficult that we allowed the people of to understand that we demand that Monmouth to own the project. If you all information is shared and we don’t visit the town today then everyone allow our web site to be exploited. Make sure that you are happy that they understand our values and they are willing to adapt theirs where Key opportunity necessary. John was installed as the project manager supported by a Make friends! Many steering group with a representative hands make light work from Wikimedia UK, Monmouth County Council and the local university. 8 HOW TO CREATE A WIKIPEDIA TOWN Next you need a list of existing Don’t forget articles relating to your town. You your local can do this by creating categories. It’s chapter or the important to record what it looked Foundation. like before the miracle happened. They can offer merchandise, You will need a list of those that help with could be created. The only way to promotion, do this is to ask others to help. Build contacts and relationships with galleries, museums, money. the local council / government, community associations – anyone Promote your project in the with local knowledge who can help community and among Wikipedians. you with the content. Every wiki project likes to create and edit good content and learn about Tell schools, colleges and universities new topics. If you intend to do a town what you’re up to. Roisin Curran, a then you will need a better method history student, chose to do her work of attracting help. The method devised placement with Monmouthpedia by Andrew Dalby for the Derby at Monmouth Museum. She knew project was to create a multi-lingual very little about editing Wikipedia challenge. We found enthusiastic when she started, but she left with Wikipedians who work in languages “Wikipedian In Residence” on her such as Esperanto, Hungarian and CV. The project also attracted seven Welsh. Some editors are interested in post graduate researchers from languages and others are interested several universities who are studying in geotagging, nature reserves, historic this project.