Open Data: What It Is and Why You Should Care: Public Library Quarterly: Vol 36, No 2

"Open data is information that is provided by public entities to be accessed and reused. Publishing open data is an excellent way to improve an organization’s transparency and provide insight into the value of the organization. Libraries are uniquely positioned to assist their patrons in the use of open data by making them aware of it and helping them access and use it. This article provides a short history of open data and explores ways that library trailblazers are already using open data as well as contributing open data for others to use. Getting started with open data involves identifying key open data resources such as data.gov, identifying library information that would be beneficial to publish, and creating programs that provide digital literacy training and create opportunities for patrons to engage with open data in new and creative ways."