Freeing Knowledge: Approaches to Foster Collaboration Between Academic Libraries and the Wikipedia Community

Wikipedia has become a ubiquitous source for information, as well as a global community of people dedicated to the free exchange of knowledge. While its convenience may seem at first glance to be a threat to the traditional role of libraries, an overlap of purpose fosters unique opportunities for working together to advance free access to high-quality information and empower learning. This article will address these opportunities by providing specific examples of ways in which libraries can collaborate with Wikipedia to achieve the common goal of making information more accessible, while increasing their utility beyond their local community. An overview of resources to facilitate this endeavor will be provided, along with example projects aimed at exposing library content, teaching information literacy skills, and engaging communities