[The following message has been edited from the original, which was first circulated on ARCAN-L.]

On January 15th Wikipedia turns 15. To celebrate the Wikipedia Library has developed a week-long #1Lib1Ref event. Conceived as a 'micro-contribution drive', the aim is to encourage librarians to contribute references to Wikipedia pages. The edits are a way of mirroring reference services and passing on subject expertise. The event is also an important step toward diversifying the current landscape of Wikipedia editors. 

Although #1Lib1Ref is aimed at librarians, the initiative is an excellent opportunity for archivists to share their knowledge. As a result of our day to day work we all know the biographies, historical accounts, and articles that do a particularly good job of bringing the people and events captured in our collections to life. Why not visit the page(s) related to your holdings to see if those resources are referenced? If they aren't, why not take things a step further and work them in?

If you would like to learn more about the types of contributions archivists can make to Wikipedia, the Wikipedia Library has a great primer available for Cultural Professionals. I am currently drawing on several of the outlined suggestions as part of my (virtual volunteer) work as a Wikipedia Visiting Scholar at the McMaster University Library and as an co-instructor of the AAO's Wikipedia for Archivists workshop running later in February of this year. 

To follow the #1Lib1Ref event online, I recommend the corresponding thread on Twitter.

Happy editing!

Danielle