Wikipedian in residence, 30k Options

[Peter Damian]

http://gs10.globalsuccessor.com/fe/tpl_bri...wfiperldhpyrjnc

£30,768 per annum, pro rata
6 months fixed term
If you are an experienced Wikipedia editor and have a good understanding of Wikimedia and GLAM projects, this post offers the opportunity to make a considerable contribution to the public's knowledge of the Library's unique collections and AHRC- funded projects.

Working closely with the Web Co-ordinator and specialist curators across the Library, your expertise will be instrumental in reviewing, improving and creating content on Wikipedia relating to British Library collections and AHRC-funded projects. Using your strong communication and organisational skills, you will promote and establish collaboration between staff and Wikimedia volunteers, in addition to arranging Wikipedia training sessions and events at the Library.

For informal enquiries please contact Richard Power, Web and Intranet Coordinator on 020 7412 7485.

Closing date: 23 February 2012

From the Job Profile attached to the link, it seems as though this is a British Museum funded initiative. The successful candididate will therefore be paid

• To develop new articles and edit existing entries relating to AHRC projects and British Library items and collections on Wikipedia, in conjunction with curators and other colleagues.
• To provide training and best-practice guidance on Wikipedia editing and Wikimedia volunteer engagement for British Library staff by means of presentations and direct instruction.

amongst other things.

Should we welcome this? Perhaps we should. It increases the degree to which institutions from a wider sphere engage with Wikipedia, and increases the leverage that critics of Wikipedia have upon the project.

This post has been edited by Peter Damian:

[EricBarbour]

Should we welcome this? Perhaps we should. It increases the degree to which institutions from a wider sphere engage with Wikipedia, and increases the leverage that critics of Wikipedia have upon the project.

I would say that, despite all the disgruntlement over WP's lunatic mess of a "system of governance",
it's quite disturbing that major educational institutions have chosen to stick their heads in the sand
when the subject of Wikipedia comes up. Just wishing it would go away, or ignoring it, doesn't stop
their students from using the damn thing in coursework.

The only major problem with this is simple. Their paid Wikipedia liaison will probably not be given
admin power (which should be a requirement, I would think). Meaning that person will be subjected
to stupid reversions and blocks by power-drunk admins who know nothing about the subject matter.
I foresee serious problems here.

If there are going to be paid experts on Wikipedia, with the WMF's full knowledge and approval, the experts
should be better treated than the random editor. But the way the "community" is today, those experts
will be treated like shit, and possibly even forced out, regularly.

Inevitable result: very bad publicity, and major educational institutions publicly giving up on
Wikipedia, saying the atmosphere is too hostile and bizarre, making the addition of content impossible.

Which means the WMF will have to forcibly institute a caste system (which they have already, but
like to pretend they don't). The experts will need to be "untouchable" by idiot administrators.
Or, they will have to purge the admin ranks of its crazies.

If that were presented to the admins as a fait accompli, how do you think they would respond?......