How Theological Librarians Can Help Change the World

The 1000 Women in Religion Project is working towards adding 1,000 biographies about women to Wikipedia, where only 18% of entries are about women. Knowledge and gender gaps on Wikipedia are well documented and exist despite the platform’s idealistic early goal of providing “free access to the sum of all human knowledge.” This paper details the Australian Women in Religion Project, a collaborative initiative under the auspices of the University of Divinity. The experience of the Australian project can be used as a model for similar projects in other parts of the world. Understanding Wikipedia’s policies around notability, reliability, secondary sources, and conflict of interest is important. There are many benefits to participating in Wikipedia projects like this and theological librarians are well placed to contribute. This is a practical way to highlight noteworthy women in religion while addressing issues of systemic knowledge and gender bias on platforms like Wikipedia.

Responsibly Including Survivors’ Voices in the Planning and Implementing of Educational Programmes for Healthcare Providers

Survivors’ experiences and input are essential for human trafficking education for healthcare providers yet they remain under-utilised. This article describes a collaborative initiative between two paediatric physicians and a survivor of trafficking, which led to the implementation of an anti-trafficking education programme for healthcare providers. It outlines the process of establishing the collaboration and the main principles of ensuring an equitable partnership. It shares the authors’ reflections of the process and their recommendations for others seeking to establish similar initiatives.

Making the Most of Volcanic Eruption Responses

Last year, a new collaborative initiative conducted a hypothetical volcano response exercise. A month later, they put the knowledge gained to use during an actual eruption.