WikiConference USA (2014–2015) The inaugural WikiConference USA was held during May 30 – June 1, 2014 at
New York Law School's
Tribeca campus in
Lower Manhattan. Established as a national event for the American
Wikipedia community, the conference was "devoted to topics concerning the
Wikimedia movement in the United States, as well as related topics of
free culture and
digital rights". It was hosted by Wikimedia Foundation affiliates for the District of Columbia and
New York City, with grant funding provided by the foundation and additional support from
Consumer Reports, the Institute for Information Law & Policy at New York Law School, and the
City University of New York. The program featured two days of keynotes, panels, presentations, and workshops about the state of Wikipedia, addressing issues such as diversity,
gender bias, and the socialization of new editors, as well as a one-day
unconference. Approximately 250 people attended. , 2015 The second WikiConference USA was held at the
National Archives Building in Washington, D.C., during October 9–11, 2015. The conference was co-sponsored by the
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), which was a sponsor of
Wikimania when the event was held in Washington, D.C., in 2012, and the Wiki Education Foundation; Wikimedia Foundation affiliates for the District of Columbia and New York City were also WikiConference partners. Activities included panels, presentations, speeches, and workshops related to Wikipedia's community, collaborations with cultural institutions, role in education, and technology development. Attendees also had access to the National Archives Museum and the Innovation Hub, where records are digitized. Diversity was a central theme throughout the conference, which inspired NARA to host a Wikimedia Diversity Conference in June 2016.
WikiConference North America 2010s participants improving Wikipedia articles about philosophy at the
San Diego Central Library in 2016 The third annual event, renamed to WikiConference North America, was held in San Diego's
Central Library during October 7–10, 2016. The conference's scope was increased to include Wikimedians in Canada and Mexico, and the event featured a series of
edit-a-thons. Alex Madva, an assistant professor at
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and contributor to the
American Philosophical Association's blog, coordinated one on October 8 to improve articles about philosophy and philosophers. The
American Chemical Society sponsored another to improve coverage of chemistry and notable chemists. Mike Connolly Miskwish of the
Campo Indian Reservation, who also serves as an adjunct faculty member of
Native American studies at
San Diego State University, facilitated an edit-a-thon in conjunction with
Indigenous Peoples' Day to improve Wikipedia articles about
indigenous peoples.
Katherine Maher, executive director of the Wikimedia Foundation, facilitated a Wikimedia movement strategy session, and Kelly Doyle, who was hired by
West Virginia University Libraries as the first
Wikipedian in residence for focusing on
gender equality, also presented at the conference. On the day preceding the conference, a "Wiki Culture Crawl" was organized at
Balboa Park, allowing editors to visit affiliated museums free of charge for the purpose of improving Wikipedia articles related to local
GLAMs and other cultural institutions. In 2018, WikiConference North America was held in
Columbus, Ohio, October 18–21, at
Ohio State University's
Thompson Memorial Library and other campus locations. The 2019 event was held at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology in
Cambridge, mainly in the
Ray and Maria Stata Center, during November 8–11.
2020s 's
Hine Hall during the 2024 conference WikiConference North America was virtual from 2020 to 2022 because of the
COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 event was held during December 11–13. The 2021 event was held during October 8–10 and saw a
Wiknic in New York City. The 2022 event was held in November with Mapping USA in collaboration with
OpenStreetMap. WikiConference North America returned to an in-person format in 2023 with the theme "Recent Changes". It was held at the
Toronto Reference Library in Toronto, Ontario, from November 9–12. The 2024 conference was held at
Indiana University Indianapolis. The theme was "Crossroads", inspired by the
Indiana state motto and also alluding to the multiple meanings of the word—as the place where Wikimedians from across the continent. The first day of the conference—October 4—was declared as "Wikipedia Day" in Indianapolis through a proclamation by mayor
Joe Hogsett. On the first day of the conference, a self-declared "anti-contact non-offending pedophile" rushed the stage wielding a gun and threatened to kill himself. Two conference participants, Richard Knipel and
Andrew Lih, immediately restrained him, and no shots were fired. ==See also==