Fine Arts Library to Host Wikipedia Edit-a-Thon

Michael Mandiberg, Freely licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0

Wikipedia's gender trouble is well documented. In a 2011 survey, the Wikimedia Foundation found that less than 10 percent of its contributors were women. While the reasons for the gender gap are up for debate, the practical effect of this disparity is not: Content is skewed by the lack of representation from women contributors. 

All U of A students, faculty and staff are welcome to join the Northwest Arkansas Art+Feminism Wikipedia Edit-a-Thon in the Fine Arts Library at the University of Arkansas from 1-3 p.m. March 8 for a communal updating of Wikipedia entries on subjects related to gender, art and feminism. Registration is available online.

The Libraries will provide tutorials for the beginner Wikipedian and reference materials. Bring your laptop, power cord and ideas for entries that need updating or creation. For the editing-averse, we urge you to stop by to show your support. People of all gender identities and expressions are welcome to participate, particularly transgender and cisgender women. Attendees are encouraged to create a Wikipedia account before the event.

"Wikipedia is almost always the first result of any internet search," said Marianne Williams, librarian-in-residence. "Millions of people access it everyday and for many, it may be the only reference resource they consult or have access to. With between 85 to 90 percent of Wiki editors being male, there is a lack of participation from women and other folks beyond the binary, which in turn creates information biases. By increasing participation of all folks, we can promote information equity and critical thinking. And with so many women from Arkansas lacking Wiki pages and online information about them, we can make sure our state gets the representation it deserves online."