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Monmouthpedia is the first project of its kind on the internet encyclopaedia
The Welsh town of Monmouth has become the subject of the first Wikipedia project to cover a single town.
Known as Monmouthpedia, the project hopes to cover every notable place, person, artefact, plant, animal and anything else concerning the Welsh town.
The people behind the project said that they hoped to build a comprehensive database of articles to create a 'virtual tour' of the town.
"The amount, detail and quality of the information that the community could create is staggering", the organisation said. "Monmouth may well be first place in the world to offer its tourist information in over 250 languages." The hope is that one of the most prominent languages will be Welsh.
Residents of Monmouth, which is known as Trefynwy in Welsh, are being offered 'drop-in sessions' on how to edit Wikipedia articles.
QR barcodes will be placed in locations around Monmouth; the barcodes, which can be read by smartphones, will link to the Wikipedia article relating to their location.
"There will be different kinds of QR code – plaques and labels – all put up with the permission of the council and building owner, including larger ceramic or metal plaques for places exposed to the elements for articles specific to Monmouth."
The group said it hoped to have 1,000 QR codes in Monmouth by April and is asking for people to help out and get involved in the project.
"We are very keen for local people to be involved however they wish. Computer skills are not important, it's the interest and the willingness to be involved, suggesting and writing content, taking and donating photos and recommending good reference materials.
"If you speak another language (especially Welsh) it would be a great place to practise your writing skills and learn new vocabulary and grammar. There is a wealth of opportunities for community involvement, including teaching and learning of IT skills, local history, natural history, languages and people of different ages working together.
"By the end of April, we want the community in Monmouth to see something that they – and people around the world – helped build."
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Wikipedia
Your article states that when looking for information we all turn to Wikipedia. I must be alone in my thinking that it is actually the last place I turn to. Given that anyone can amend the articles - surely the content has to be "suspect". Wikipedia is the last place I want to look.
Posted by Barbara, 27 Jan 2012
Monmouthpedia
Is this to start or finish on April the 1st?
Posted by Pete Paynter, 27 Jan 2012
monmouth- Welsh
Why monmouth, few people would even class it as in Wales at all. A town in the heart of Wales from Ceredigion or Gwynedd would be a bettter place to start.
Posted by daimog, 28 Jan 2012