This post was originally published as an assignment for INFO 200 Information Communities at the School of Information at San José State University.
As I reflect on this course, I realize I did not fully understand what an information community was. The course readings informed me of seminal works and emerging strategies for serving the numerous communities that seek information. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading other students’ blog journeys through their information communities and learned about topics and people new to me, or I clearly did not fully understand. I trust carrying this new-found knowledge with me through my career and personal life will make me a better information professional and a better global citizen.
And in terms of the information community that I explored, I discovered a whole new world underneath the surface of a commonly used resource. The more I learned about Wikipedians and crowd-sourced projects, the more excited I grew about how these projects relate to library and information science. I trust I will continue to look for opportunities to inform others about this community and look for ways to connect the Wikimedia Foundation’s infinite applications to my own professional and personal pursuits.
I am excited by opportunities to improve free and open access to information. As an employee of an academic library which still operating at nearly 100% remotely, I have looked for opportunities to find relevance and a place in the future of long-standing institutions such as academia and the arts, where our world is continually moving in a digital world. I found the book The Art of Relevance, particularly thought-provoking on this topic. This knowledge, paired with my research on Wikipedians, has given me valuable tools to carry me through conversations in the workplace and beyond.