A Systematic Review of Wikidata in GLAM Institutions: a Labs Approach

GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums) organisations host extensive digital collections that have been made available to the public for over three decades. Advances in technology have facilitated the reuse of digital collections as rich data sources. In this context, Wikidata has emerged as a leading, innovative, and collaborative platform that enriches the digital collections provided by GLAM institutions. However, a comprehensive analysis of the current status, potential and challenges of its use in the GLAM sector is still lacking. This paper presents a systematic review of Wikidata use in GLAM institutions within the context of the work of the International GLAM Labs Community (glamlabs.io). The results summarise academic literature on Wikidata projects. The paper argues that Wikidata’s potential in the domain of reuse, an important component of the FAIR principles, can be better integrated into the practices of GLAM institutions.