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
Powered by GitBook
On this page
  1. Library Roles

Using civic data

PreviousCreating civic dataNextPublishing civic data

Last updated 5 years ago

What's the need?

  • Civic data can help libraries to better understand the communities they serve and, in turn, make more informed decisions about collections, staff, and programming.

Why the library?

  • Libraries are already data-driven organizations and collect internal data on how collections and spaces are used.

  • If the library is advocating for the importance of civic data it is vital to demonstrate its importance at home.

What you can do:

  • Use Census data to create demographic profiles of the communities you serve; consider languages spoken, education levels, income, and employment

  • Incorporating civic data into reporting can model great open data practices for patrons and the broader community.

  • Consult state or municipal open data for data sources that can help you make your case for an upcoming grant or new library initiative.

Inspiration:

  • Topeka, KS: Mirza Sharma, D. (2016). . Public Libraries Online.

Resources you can use:

  • offers trainings and conferences for public libraries who want to use civic data

  • Hertel, K., & Sprague, N. (2007).. Library Hi Tech, 25(2), 246-259.

  • Adkins, D., & Sturges, D. (2004). . Public Libraries, 43(3), 165-170

Using GIS to Assess Public Libraries 
The Research Institute for Public Libraries (RIPL)
GIS and census data: Tools for library planning
Library service planning using GIS and census data