The Ugandan Geo Quests: Mapping Libraries and Museums into the Knowledge Commons

Room: Talks I

Saturday, 10:00
Duration: 20 minutes (plus Q&A)

This event will not be recorded.

• Micheal Kaluba

Across Uganda, countless community libraries and local museums hold untold stories, cultural memory, and untapped knowledge—but remain invisible on the digital map. The Ugandan Geo Quests project aims to change that.

This session introduces two complementary national mapping initiatives: The Ugandan Libraries Geo Quest and The Ugandan Museums Geo Quest, which leverage OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, and Wikipedia to bring local knowledge institutions into the global digital commons.

We’ll explore how we:

Mobilized local communities, Wikimedians, and mappers for participatory documentation Used tools like uMap, ODK Collect and KoboToolbox to ensure data quality and visibility Linked OSM data with Wikidata and Wikipedia for multi-platform discoverability Addressed challenges around verification, tagging, and sustainability

Attendees will gain insights into designing thematic mapping campaigns that go beyond infrastructure—to elevate culture, education, and heritage in open data ecosystems. Whether you’re a mapper, librarian, or advocate for digital equity, this session offers inspiration on how maps can preserve identity and empower communities.