Open Library Data
Posted by CLA Govt Library and Info Mgmt Professionals Network on 2012/01/14
Dear colleagues,
Libraries and Literacy is pleased to announce that data on British Columbia’s 71 library systems and 241 library branch locations is now available on the DataBC open data portal (www.data.gov.bc.ca) as part of government’s Transformation and Technology Strategy.
The data set includes a information collected through the annual statistics process. For example, you will find data on:
- Number of people using the library in-person and virtually
- Library physical and electronic collections (e.g. Books, DVDs, eBooks, MP3s)
- Number and types of programs and activities offered at the library
- Library size
- Staffing levels
- Library revenues and expenditures
While this information is already available on the Ministry website and in other places, we are pleased that inclusion in the DataBC website will heighten the profile of the data and make it more widely available.
BC public library statistics are used by researchers interested in community development, literacy and library studies; by libraries to evaluate their own performance; by local and provincial governments and by citizens interested in library services.
Notably, the information includes the latitude and longitude locations of each branch library, opening up endless possibilities for including libraries in GIS applications and finder apps!
Click here to access the data directly.
For some interesting commentary on the DataBC open data portal, see this blog post from David Eaves: http://eaves.ca/2011/07/19/province-of-bc-launches-open-data-catalog-what-works/
Regards,
Jacqueline
Jacqueline van Dyk
Director | Libraries and Literacy | Ministry of Education
