Data is the foundation for any civic tech application -- and there is more available every day for people working on civic tech projects! “Open data” refers to data released to the public by government agencies. (Yes, this means that your library can even release its own open data sets about circulation, program attendance, most-read books, etc.!)
There are philosophical reasons for government agencies publishing data - such as transparency and accountability - but also many practical advantages as well, including the ability for programmers to build community applications using that public data.
In this project, we'll:
- Learn about the history of open data in government
- Explore open data sources at the local, state, and federal levels to find relevant data
- Explore some sample applications built using open government data
Project: Build Your Data Skills
As librarians, we are trained to help people find the information they need, and that includes raw data. But working with data requires a particular set of skills be added to our librarian toolbox. These data literacy skills are also helpful when working on internal library projects, such as grant-writing or reporting.
In this project, we'll:
Project: Build a Community-Created Map
Para
Project: Build an Open Data Site
Para
Project: Host a Local or Regional Hackathon
Para
Project: Teach Data Literacy Skills
Para