Only three publically available OGP Action Plans currently consider how citizens will access new open government resources.

Governments have come to Brasilia to pledge transparency, accountability and equitable participation. They should be lauded for their pioneering commitments and the important standards they are establishing for all modern countries. Exciting new tools, information, and e-government services are on the horizon.But the ‘how’ of open government must not be left out of the discussion. Responsive government requires not only the release of data and promises to share information – the supply side – but must consider the methods by which citizens can engage their representatives. Data isn’t truly transparent if there’s no way to see it.

How will citizens access new open government resources?

Any effective open government must include solutions on the demand side. Without public points of access serving those otherwise cut off from information, and trained guides to support connections between government and citizens, open data loses its impact.

Governments making OGP commitments must answer these questions:

How will people learn about new data and tools?

How will they learn to use them?

How will they contact and interact with their governments?

Who will help those new to the

process?

In many places, this means shared, guided public internet access must be built into OGP plans. And the institution best suited to serve this role is the modern public library.

www.beyondaccess.net

Policy Brief, April 2012

The Demand Side of Open Government

Research note: As of April 10, 2012, of 21 countries with publicly available action plans or draft action plans, only three—the United Kingdom, Ukraine, and Tanzania—consider how citizens will access open government resources.

Ukraine

ColombiaRomania

www.beyondaccess.net

In Colombia, Ukraine, and Romania, librar-ies are already supporting open government initiatives

Citizens in developing and transitioning countries need a place—a community hub—where they can access open government tools with the assistance of an information guide. In fact, most countries already have public infrastructure in place to supply this important link between citizens and their government. That place is the public library. Today, there are more than 320,000 public libraries around the world—and 73 percent of them are located in developing and transitioning countries. With the right policies and support, libraries can serve as cost-effective, sustainable hubs for open government.

Governments are already starting to see how libraries balance the open government equation through citizen access.

In Medellín, Colombia, the “Medellín Digital” strategy aims to ensure that new technology delivers economic and social development. But with nearly 40 percent of the population living below the poverty line, no strategy can be inclusive or complete without considerations for how these services reach those without access to technology. To meet this challenge, the city made libraries and library parks – safe, attractive public spaces meant to support community and deliver access to information – a core feature of its plans. The libraries offer computers for public use and librarians trained in guiding those less comfortable online, ensuring that those otherwise disadvantaged can benefit from the services and information made available to all of Medellín’s people.

In Romania, membership in the EU has opened up opportunities for farmers to modernize their land and increase their profitability through access to subsidies. The Ministry of Agriculture produced an online application designed to make the subsidy process quicker and more transparent. But many rural farmers didn’t know about the service, or know how to use it. In 2011, more than 400 public libraries stepped in to help 17,000 farmers successfully apply for and receive government farm

Libraries: The CommunityInformation Hub

www.beyondaccess.net

subsidies. The internet access and training available at the public libraries ensures that people from all backgrounds are able to take advantage of the available subsidies.

The Government of Ukraine has recognized the need for and value of public access in completing its Open Government Partnership country action plan. The plan includes:

“Public libraries to ensure free access to official information, the interaction of citizens with government, training for librarians to use e-government resources and technologies, and public information campaigns promoting e-government issues.”

Open government can’t be considered truly “open” unless it includes provisions for those who lack access to the information and services governments produce. Medellín’s city government, Romania’s Ministry of Agriculture and the Government of Ukraine have recognized the need to complete the open government equation with access. Other governments can follow their lead, and include the demand side of open government in their plans.

Open govern-ment can’t be considered truly “open” unless it includes provi-sions for those who lack access to the informa-tion and services governments produce.

Based on the successes and challenges that countries have already encountered implementing open government plans, Beyond Access recommends that governments consider the following policies when implementing open government commitments:

1. Ensure open government action plans consider the need for shared public access.

OGP participating countries have made a public commitment to transparency, citizen participation, and innovation. But these core principles cannot be adequately achieved solely through the provision of tools and information. Instead, open government initiatives must be equally supported through the guarantee of public access and training resources so that citizens can find, access, and make use of new services.

Policy Recommendations

About Beyond Access: Beyond Access is an initiative of IREX, EIFL, IFLA, Makaia, Civic Regeneration, TASCHA, The Riecken Foundation, and READ Global, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

2. Support public libraries or other existing access points with dedicated training programs, so that librarians and other information guides can help those less familiar with online tools benefit from new resources.

Citizens and civil society can only realize the full potential of open government when there are trained information guides available everywhere to help them find and use government data and online services. Without these information experts, many citizens who lack technical expertise or financial resources will be left out. Once trained, these information guides serve to ensure that new e-government resources and citizen engagement opportunities reach all those intended to benefit from them.

3. Involve existing citizen engagement institutions that provide information access in open government planning.

OGP participating countries should involve existing institutions such as libraries and telecenters that provide public access to information in the planning process. These civil society actors already understand the demand side of open government—they know how citizens already access information and they can provide advice that makes sure that newly available public resources are packaged and integrated in a way that truly meets citizens needs.

4. Leverage existing public access infrastructure to promote open government.

When open government initiatives have focused exclusively on the creation of data and tools, usage rates of those tools have been disappointing. Open government initiatives should be coupled with public campaigns that build awareness among citizens and civil society. Public libraries are a trusted community partner for this purpose. Library staff can publicize new initiatives within their communities through existing relationships with schools, businesses, and community groups, and the library space itself is an ideal space for training and consultations. Partnerships with public libraries lead to higher usage rates and improved citizen-government interaction.