Article written by Simon Côté-Lapointe, librarian at UQAM

On Thursday, March 26, 2026, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., the UQAM central library hosted the “Wikipedia Edit-a-thon: 25 Years, Proud and Engaged,” as part of Francophonie Month and the 8th edition of the Spring of Research and Creation. It was a great opportunity to celebrate a quarter-century of free encyclopedic knowledge by collectively addressing gaps that still exist on topics close to our hearts.

The event brought together more than thirty participants—librarians, researchers, activists, students, and Wikimedians—around a shared goal: enriching Wikipedia by increasing the visibility of people, concepts, and issues that are too often underrepresented. This included Quebec women artists, racialized women researchers, and topics related to inclusive writing, feminist studies, and individuals from marginalized communities.

The day began with a welcome buffet that encouraged informal networking among participants. After opening remarks by Dany Bouchard, Director of Research and Creation Support Services; Lucie Ménard, Vice-Rector for Research; and Frédéric Giuliano, Library Director, Marie Martel, professor at the School of Library and Information Science at the Université de Montréal, delivered an introductory address. A quick training session, “How to Contribute to Wikipedia,” led by Jean-Michel Lapointe, technopedagogical project manager at UQAM, then kicked off the collaborative editing activity.

Among the topics covered were figures such as Sophie Bédard, Caroline Monnet, Miyuki Tanobe, Ellen Gabriel, and Alexandra Pierre, as well as Guylaine Beaudry, Jeannette Meunier, Anna Malenfant, and Elfreda Chatman. Articles on concepts such as the Matilda effect, care ethics, inclusive and gender-neutral writing, and trans identity were also expanded.

The event was organized in partnership with the Institute for Feminist Research and Studies (IREF), the Research Chair in Cultural History of Non-Dominant Practices, the Research Chair on Sexual Diversity and Gender Plurality, SansPagEs / Montreal, and Wikimedia Canada.

Results were encouraging:
➜ more than 30 participants
➜ more than 20 Wikipedia articles created or improved

Photo credit: UQAM