Bhamwiki:Suggestion box

This page, our suggestion box, describes how to submit information for inclusion in Bhamwiki.

I found a mistake!

If you notice factual errors on a page, you can contact an editor by emailing admin at bhamwiki dot com. It is helpful to include references for the correct information that we can cite on the page.

Can you list my business?

We hope to someday include information on pretty much any business that has made a mark on the Birmingham area. If you want yours listed, what we need are the basic historical facts (when was it founded? who are the owners? where is it located? what does it do?). If articles have been published about the business, we want to include them as references. You can submit information to admin at bhamwiki dot com.

As an encyclopedic reference, we can include as much cited historical information as can be found, but we have a harder time digesting "soft matter" like ad copy, mission statements, testimonials, and detailed lists of products and services.

We would appreciate a good clean version of the company logo and photograph(s) of the main place of business, if available. We generally show logos under the doctrine of Fair Use and photography is posted under a Creative Commons license whenever possible, or "by permission" if copyright must be maintained. We also sometimes include historical photographs by Fair Use, or make use of older works in the public domain.

My client asked me to contact you

We are happy to correct errors and update old information, and even to take suggestions for expanding our content. We prefer to cite the primary or secondary reporting of other publications with greater resources and experience rather than to do our own reporting. Requests to remove content will be considered on their merits with regard to our content guidelines. For example, if multiple news outlets have reported plainly that your client was implicated in a scandal, we will include that fact where appropriate even if you threaten legal action. On the other hand, we will hear you out and welcome your help finding additional sources of information that can help us present the fairest and most comprehensive picture.

Bhamwiki maintains editorial independence as part of our relationship with our users. We are not a promotional site. We do not wish to be party to disputes and try to maintain a neutral point of view supported by outside, published references as much as possible. If there's a controversy, we want to be able to present all sides fairly. If we cannot, we prefer to wait for history to form a judgment which we can report.

What about my band?

For Bhamwiki purposes a band is notable if it has been performing for a long time or if it has released at least a couple of recordings into wide distribution. Again, the basic facts are what we need to make a start. When was the band formed? Who's in it? What are the details of your releases? Major shows?

What we don't have much use for are the long list of your influences, the mythologized version of the band's origin, who you opened for, etc.

For images we'd like permission to publish a band photo. If that's not available, then an album cover is almost as good. Or if you have a logo, that'll work. Send what you've got to admin at bhamwiki dot com.

My ancestor is notable!

For biographies of Birminghamians, we need to establish some claim of notability, but we're much more permissive than Wikipedia. Pretty much any business owner, office holder, minor celebrity, major criminal, well-regarded eccentric or pioneer of something or other is a good candidate for at least a brief biographical entry.

For all our articles on people we really like to have dates and places of birth and death. If they grew up here, what schools did they go to and when did they graduate? If they owned a business, what are the details? What did they contribute to Birmingham? Where are they buried?

I've got a whole bunch of stuff to add!

If you've got a lot of material that belongs on Bhamwiki and you're up for it, we'd love to bring you on board as an editor! Please take a look at our Bhamwiki:User agreement and consider signing up. Don't worry; we don't give out assignments or deadlines (unless you ask for them).

I've got reference material to donate!

Published references and Birmingham-related ephemera are valuable sources of information. Bhamwiki's founder maintains a growing library of references. Donations of materials are welcome. You can contact an administrator by emailing admin at bhamwiki dot com.

I want to show my appreciation!

How nice of you! For suggestions on how to support Bhamwiki and its mission, take a look at Bhamwiki:Site support.