communication, August 10, 2020). Looking back at the experience, he was pleased at how his understanding of library services and collections expanded and how he had a new appreciation for the volume and scope of the collections.
Concordia University Library
Concordia University is a public comprehensive research university and one of four major academic institutions located in the bilingual city of Montreal, Quebec. Lorie Kloda, Associate University Librarian of Planning & Community Relations, had heard about successful WIR initiatives and felt it aligned well with “Concordia digital strategy” (n.d) and what Kloda called the library’s “experimental mindset” (personal communication, August 20, 2020). Concordia Library funded the position with unrestricted donor funds, so they had an open hiring process and advertised the position both at the university and in the community at large with a posted salary of $10,000 CAD plus benefits. There are many active local Wikimedians in Montreal; the city is the geographical home of Wikimedia Foundation Canadian Chapter and there is a history of Wikipedia engagement at other GLAM institutions in the city. Concordia Library hired Amber Berson, a Montreal-based writer, curator, and Wikimedian as WIR from June 2019 to May 2020. Amber worked part-time, one full day per week. She brought extensive experience as both a Wikipedia editor and instructor from her ongoing role with Art + Feminism.
Residency Focus
At Concordia, teaching and outreach were the main components of the WIR, with minimal article creation or editing work. Berson used most of her limited time to develop and deliver training to library staff and the broader Montreal community. Guided by her philosophy that Wikipedia is about mentorship, sharing, and giving, she delivered more than thirty training workshops in the community. Workshop topics included Wikipedia 101, Wikidata, and topic discussions such as bias on Wikipedia. The workshops
