Australian Women in Religion Project: Wikipedian-in-Residence

Expressions of Interest are invited for this exciting opportunity. The successful applicant will help improve coverage of Australian women in religion on Wikipedia and also improve access to related content in library and archive collections at the University of Divinity. Training will be provided.

• Do you have Wikipedia editing skills and an interest in research?
• Would you like to be paid to work on a short-term project related to the Australian Women in Religion Project?

We are looking for someone to assist with a variety of tasks to support the ongoing work of the project.

About the residency program and role

The Australian Women in Religion project has operated at the University of Divinity since late 2019, and continues to be led by Kerrie Burn, Library Manager at Mannix Library. The project aims to improve and add to existing content on Wikipedia, increase the number of Wikipedia articles related to Australian women in religion, and thereby help to address the gender imbalance on the platform. So far we have compiled a list of approximately 665 women, collated a large amount of biographical data and created approximately 160 new Wikipedia articles. These are women whose life or work has been influenced in some way by a religious or spiritual tradition. Many have made valuable contributions in the church, community and wider Australian society, in diverse fields such as education, health, social welfare and philanthropy.

The Wikipedian-in-Residence program is supported by Mannix Library, which is associated with Catholic Theological College and the University of Divinity, and located in East Melbourne. The resident will be provided with a working space at Mannix Library, and work alongside library staff, who will be able to provide assistance and required training.

This is a paid opportunity with flexible work arrangements. The successful applicant will work approximately 12 days in total, and negotiate their work arrangements over a period of several months.

Duties and responsibilities:

The specific tasks undertaken will depend on the experience and skillset of the person appointed to the role, but may include:

• Editing of Wikipedia articles for women on our list whose articles require improvement
• Creating new Wikipedia articles, contributing to the goal of reaching 200 new articles created by the end of 2023. In 2023, we are prioritising new Wikipedia articles about women from a diverse range of backgrounds and from under-represented communities.
• Identification of quality source material from available collections that can be used to improve content on Wikipedia related to Australian Women in Religion
• Sourcing images that can be added to Wikimedia Commons and subsequently added to Wikidata items and Wikipedia articles
• Adding permalinks to content held in the University’s Digital Collections repository to relevant Wikipedia articles
• Contribution to the hosting of an edit-a-thon event where a group of people will receive training and edit Wikipedia together
• Writing of a blog post about your learnings and residency experience

Selection Criteria

To be successful in this role you will be able to demonstrate some of the following capabilities as they apply to the duties and responsibilities of the role. Training will be provided as part of your residency and you aren’t required to meet all of the below criteria.

• You are able to attend Mannix Library in East Melbourne at the commencement of the residency
• You are able to work the equivalent of one day per week for 10-12 weeks
• You have access to a laptop
• You can work independently
• Experience using Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, Wikidata or other similar projects is desired
• Familiarity with Wikipedia policies around notability, creating new articles about living people, using reliable sources and copyright
• Research, writing and editing skills are desired
• An interest in the subject area
• Experience in teaching others and/or giving presentations is desired

Details on the residency

• Reports to: Kerrie Burn, Library Manager, Mannix Library, University of Divinity
• Period of Contract: Flexible over the period April to September 2023. Approximately 12 days total.
• Salary: AUD$5,000
• Location: Based at Mannix Library, Catholic Theological College, University of Divinity, in East Melbourne.

How to apply

To apply, please send your CV and no more than a two-page cover letter indicating your interest in the role and addressing the selection criteria. Please indicate your potential availability between April and September 2023 and a proposed start date and schedule.

All documents should be in one email as two separate documents (CV and cover letter): Send to: library@ctc.edu.au by Friday 10^th March 2023 at 5pm AEST.

Catholic Theological College

CTC is committed to the highest standards of teaching and research in philosophy and theology, within the Catholic tradition. It collaborates in the Church’s mission to spread the Gospel, and provides academic formation for people committed to the pastoral service of the Church.

www.ctc.edu.au/