Getting the facts right

AFTER attending a seminar in 2019, retired librarian Kerrie Burn became a volunteer Wikipedia editor.

She recently completed a role as Wikimedian-in-residence at the State Library of Victoria.

“Driven by research suggesting that high-quality Wikipedia content can positively influence tourism, I was especially keen to enhance articles about Heathcote landmarks, local culture, events, and festivals,” said Ms Burn.

“Over the past few weeks, I’ve focused on improving the Heathcote Wikipedia page.

“Wikipedia is a free online encyclopaedia and the world’s largest reference website, accessed by millions of people every day.

“I began by creating new articles for the Valley of the Liquid Ambers and Pink Cliffs Geological Reserve – popular destinations for both tourists and locals that surprisingly did not already have their own Wikipedia page.

“I also wrote articles on the Heathcote Film Festival, Chauncy Restaurant, and Isobel Morphy-Walsh, the artist who created the Acknowledgement of Country Shadow Sculpture that lights up nightly at Barrack Reserve.

“After uploading relevant photos, I linked these new pages to the main Heathcote Wikipedia article.

“Additional updates include content about the Taungurung people, the traditional custodians of the land where Heathcote is now located, and information on key annual events and festivals held in the area.”

Ms Burn said there are a list of guidelines that must be followed when editing for Wikipedia.

“Firstly, a subject must be notable – meaning it has received significant coverage in reliable, independent sources,” she said.

“Every fact must be verifiable, with a published source to back it up.

“Personal anecdotes or information from social media are not acceptable sources.

“Articles must also be written from a neutral point of view, avoiding promotional or biased language.

“In line with Wikipedia’s conflict-of-interest policy, editors should not create pages about themselves or about people or subjects with whom they are closely associated.

“Finally, because no one owns Wikipedia content, other editors are free to revise or expand any article you create.”

Ms Burn plans to continue working on articles about Heathcote.

“In the months ahead, I hope to continue improving and expanding Heathcote-related Wikipedia articles,” she said.

“This includes creating articles about notable Heathcote residents – past and present – and improving coverage of the Heathcote wine industry to ensure it reflects current information.

“I am particularly passionate about increasing the representation of women on Wikipedia, where only around 20 percent of biographical entries are currently about women.

“Contributing to closing this gender gap remains an ongoing goal of mine.”

Ms Burn would love to hear from locals.

“I welcome feedback from the community, especially suggestions for new topics or improvements to existing content,” she said.

“I’m also keen to hear from local organisations or community groups interested in collaborating on projects to enhance Wikipedia coverage related to Heathcote and the surrounding region.”

Anyone with feedback or suggestions can email [email protected]. The Heathcote Wikipedia page is at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heathcote,_Victoria.