Harvard's Very Own Wikipedian

Harvard’s Houghton Library, known for housing the institution’s rare books collection, displays Edward Lear’s drawings.
Harvard’s Houghton Library, known for housing the institution’s rare books collection, displays Edward Lear’s drawings.

By Chyi-Dean Shu

For seniors who have been slow on the uptake, it’s probably time to get a job. The cash flow from your bank account has slowed to a trickle and the care packages from your parents are no more. Luckily, to supplement your lavish Harvard lifestyle of sushi in Lamont and midnight Tasty Burger, there’s a perfect job opening for you.

Pretty much the dream, this job asks for a “Wikipedian-in-Residence” to edit and add articles to the people’s encyclopedia. That’s right, you’d get paid for editing Wikipedia, which probably more than a few nerds do here already.

Paying $16 per hour and centered in Houghton Library, the rare books library, this is one of the sweeter gigs on campus. Basically the applicant will “expand coverage on Wikipedia of topics relevant to Houghton collections.” This includes adding sources and creating new pages—child’s play for anyone who has ever participated in a Wikirace.

While the title “Wikipedian-in-Residence” might sound like make-believe, it is very real, with many companies and institutions, such as the Smithsonian, the British Library and the Palace of Versailles, opting to hire one to upload more content for everyone to browse freely. This is perfect for any seniors who forgot that the real world and resumes exist. Bulk up!

—Staff writer Natalia Wojcik can be reached at natalia.wojcik@thecrimson.com.

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