Engaging with Open Data: Seattle Public Library’s Role in Open Data

In the era of big data, we’ve all heard the term data-driven decision making. It’s a phrase often associated with industry and the Tech sector, but municipalities are increasingly attempting to utilize data to drive evidence-based policy decisions around things like resource allocation. Cities around the world are openly publishing their data for public consumption in an effort to increase government transparency and accountability around such decisions. In fact, the World Bank (2013) reports, over “250 governments at national, subnational and city levels…have launched Open Data Initiatives” (p.1). And that was four years ago.

While Seattle launched their Open Data program in 2010, it wasn’t until 2016 that the city developed an official Open Data policy and Seattle Mayor, Ed Murray, declared Seattle “open by preference”. This mandates all city departments to publish datasets on the city’s Open Data portal (Seattle IT, 2016). Simply put, it’s a directive that makes public data available to the public.

Cool. But who cares? What’s this got to do with me?

These are just the kind of questions the Seattle Public Library aims to answer as part of their participation in the Open Data Literacy project. As a champion of literacy in all its forms, the Seattle Public Library’s Open Data Literacy (ODL) project will culminate in the implementation of two Open Data Literacy workshops: one for regional library staff, another for the public. Working closely with David Christensen — Seattle Public Library’s Data Analyst Lead, Open Data Champion, and ODL sponsor — we are developing a comprehensive framework for the event that will serve as a blueprint for other libraries or municipalities to use in Open Data efforts in the future. The framework includes curriculum and lesson plan development outlining learning goals and objectives, as well as event logistics, and a survey for measuring outcomes.

Navigating open data can be tricky. Seattle Public Library’s Open Data workshop, Open Data: Couch to 5k, aims to support people’s interest in accessing, understanding, using, and analyzing open data while cultivating new ideas and advocating for open data as a tool for public engagement.

We will be posting updates on the workshop development as the project progresses, so come check it out!

REFERENCES

Seattle IT. (2016, March 16). Open Data Playbook. Seattle IT. Retrieved from http://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/SeattleGovPortals/CityServices/OpenDataPlaybook_Published_2016.08.pdf

The World Bank Group. (2013, October 24). Open Data in 60 Seconds | Data. Retrieved June 26, 2017, from http://opendatatoolkit.zognet.net//en/open-data-in-60-seconds.html