The journalism industry is in crisis, and there aren’t nearly enough reporters around to cover all the public meetings they used to attend. So what if a small army of citizens could be recruited to attend and make a record of those meetings? That’s kind of the idea behind Wichita Documenters, a program launched earlier this year. Retired librarian Sharon Ailslieger is one of the Documenters. “I believe in civic engagement, and I think people should be aware of what’s going on in their government, especially at the local level,” Ailslieger said. Affiliated with the national Documenters Network, Wichita Documenters is funded by the Wichita Foundation and managed by the Kansas Leadership Center in partnership with members of the Wichita Journalism Collaborative (of which The Active Age is a member). The program’s initial funding is for three years. Ailslieger spent her career as a librarian for Boeing, Friends University, Garden City and McConnell Air Force Base. A friend told her about the Documenter program. After applying, she attended training at the leadership center. She was already familiar with the operations of many public bodies from her early years as a member of the League of Women Voters, when the organization routinely sent observers to public meetings. Like journalists, Documenters try to be accurate and objective. Unlike journalists, Documenters don’t ask follow-up questions, interview participants or incorporate other sources of information into what they write. Documenters are encouraged to take photographs and insert “hyper-links” — which are digital links to other sources of information — into their notes.
Source: KLC Journal
