Wikipedia Lectures for library users and librarians

In February 2025, I gave two lectures on Wikipedia, the first to library users and the second to librarians. There were many similarities, so here is an overview.

Event Summary

• Harumi Library, Chuo-ku, Tokyo: Author Lecture “Library x Wikipedia to learn more about ‘Things happening in the world’” February 16, 2025 (Sun.) 14:00-15:30
• The Japan Academic Librarians’ Association Kanto Area Group Joint Meeting “A 72-year-old Wikipedian talks about the work of librarians transcending time and space” February 24, 2025 (Tue., holiday) 13:15~14:45, Mirai Space Ichigaya

Lecture Summary

１．What is Wikipedia?
Since only a few participants had edited Wikipedia, I began with a brief introduction of what Wikipedia is, including its features, its three main policies, Wikimedia’s many projects, and the Wikimedia community. I also mentioned the history of Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation.

２．Library/Librarian and Wikipedia
Then I explained that the job of a librarian is to “connect people across time and space,” and that editing Wikipedia is an important part of the librarian’s job of creating reference tools. I also shared my thoughts on the relationship between information on the Internet and libraries.

３．Why I became a Wikipedian
As I summarized in my book “70-year-old Wikipedian,” I talked about my encounter with encyclopedias, my discovery of collective knowledge, my progress in writing Wikipedia as I met various Wikipedians, and my participation in WikiGap at the Swedish Embassy in 2019, which broadened my horizons.

４．What articles have I written?
Here I first talked about how I have not only written articles for Wikipedia, but also many articles for Diff, the official blog of the Wikimedia Foundation since 2024. I then introduced the books I have read, the articles I have written for Wikipedia, and the articles I have written for Diff on “Russia and Ukraine” and “Israel and Palestine,” respectively. As citizens of today’s world, “Russia and Ukraine” and “Israel and Palestine” are matters that we can never turn our eyes away from. I am constantly asking myself what I can do about them as a Wikimedian. I hope you will find the links to all the articles I have written on my user page.

５．Conclusion
As a summary, I introduced the newly created “Diff Japanese Edition Index 2024” and the FB group “Diff Japanese Edition Club” started in 2024, and ended with an invitation to join the Wikimedia Movement.

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who attended the two lectures and to all those involved in preparing them. Thank you.