Civic Switchboard Guide
  • Introduction
  • About
  • Context and Concepts
    • An incredibly condensed look at the development of open civic data in the United States
    • Ways of thinking about data: Open data, civic data
    • Defining a data intermediary
    • Where do libraries fit in?
    • Selected Resources
  • Engaging Partners
    • Building libraries into civic data partnerships
    • Finding partners in your ecosystem
    • Common barriers to getting started
    • Selected Resources
  • Understanding Your Ecosystem
    • Mapping your Ecosystem
    • Measuring Health and Capacity
    • Understanding Community Data Needs
    • Selected Resources
  • Library Roles
    • Connecting data users
    • Connecting data producers
    • Showing the importance of civic data
    • Developing civic data literacy
    • Advocating for ethical, responsible, and accessible civic data
    • Making civic data more usable
    • Providing expertise on data management
    • Creating civic data
    • Using civic data
    • Publishing civic data
    • Archiving civic data
    • Increasing the library's capacity to do all of the above
    • Selected Resources
  • Maintaining Momentum
    • Finding resources to support civic data work
    • Support networks and communities of practice
    • Institutionalizing
    • Selected Resources
  • Case Studies 2019
    • Alaska State Library, Juneau, AK
    • Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Library, Charlotte, NC
    • Fondren Library, Rice University, Houston, TX
    • Pioneer Library System, Ontario County, NY
    • Providence Public Library, Providence, RI
    • Queens Public Library, Queens, NY
    • Robert L. Bogomolny Library at the University of Baltimore, MD
    • Saint Paul Public Library, St. Paul, MN
    • Western New York Library Resources Council, Western NY
  • Case Studies 2020
    • The School of Library and Information Sciences Library at NCCU, Durham, NC
    • The University of Chicago Library’s Center for Digital Scholarship, Chicago, IL
    • Indianapolis Public Library, Indianapolis, IN
    • Spokane Public Library, Spokane, WA
    • St. Joseph County Public Library, South Bend, IN
  • Additional Resources
    • Civic Switchboard Workshop Materials
    • Open Data
    • Data Literacies
    • Partnerships and Community-Building
    • Library Roles in Civic Data Ecosystems
    • Guidelines for Creating Open Educational Resources
    • Archiving and Preservation of Civic and Government Data
    • Glossary
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On this page
  • Connecting data users
  • Connecting data producers
  • Showing the importance of civic data
  • Developing civic data literacy
  • Advocating for ethical, responsible, and accessible civic data
  • Making civic data more usable
  • Providing expertise on data management
  • Creating civic data
  • Using civic data
  • Publishing civic data
  • Archiving civic data
  • Increasing the library's capacity to do all of the above

Library Roles

PreviousSelected ResourcesNextConnecting data users

Last updated 4 years ago

Throughout this guide you've read why we believe libraries should be key actors in civic open data ecosystems.

This section of the guide offers roles that your library might play in your local civic data ecosystem. The specifics will (and should) be different in different regions.

These roles are meant as a list of possibilities and opportunities. We understand that it is unlikely your library will have the capacity to perform all of them. Libraries are different and at different stages of work with civic data. If you’re at the very beginning of your civic data journey, we hope these descriptions can help you clarify why the library should/could be involved. If your organization has been engaging with civic and open data, these roles may provide you with new ideas and directions for your work.

As you consider potential roles for your library, remember the larger civic data ecosystem. Think about what is already taking place, who is already active, and where you might work in . Remember, other libraries can be partners, too! We have found many cases where different libraries (such as a public and an academic) have capacity and expertise that complements each other around these roles.

partnership with other organizations
Connecting data users
Connecting data producers
Showing the importance of civic data
Developing civic data literacy
Advocating for ethical, responsible, and accessible civic data
Making civic data more usable
Providing expertise on data management
Creating civic data
Using civic data
Publishing civic data
Archiving civic data
Increasing the library's capacity to do all of the above