From LibEGov to Lib2Gov

The Information Policy & Access Center at the University of Maryland (iPAC) and the American Library Association (ALA) developed LibEGov (www.LibEGov.org)* in connection with the Libraries & E-government: New Partnerships in Public Service project, funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).  That site was developed through partnerships with government agencies, state library agencies, public libraries, academic libraries, academic institutions, and Government Information Online (managed by the University of Illinois at Chicago with funding from the Government Printing Office). LibEGov was designed with four goals in mind:

1. To provide resources that help librarians think about how best to engage in e-government services in their libraries.

2. To provide communication tools to build and deepen relationships between librarians and government agencies.

3. To provide communication tools to facilitate the building of a community of practice among and between librarians to share best practice e-government engagement programs and services that meet community needs.

4. To identify selected and key government agency information, resources and services to assist librarians in meeting patron e-government needs.

As the IMLS grant wrapped up in the summer of 2013, iPAC and ALA set to work on redesigning the site to better meet these goals.  The research and usability testing we conducted during the grant period gave us a glimpse into the different ways that libraries are benefiting their communities by providing e-government services. Building upon these “best practices”, the new site -- Lib2Gov -- is envisioned as a space for librarians interested in e-government issues to learn from and share with one another.

For librarians who are new to e-government, we encourage you to check out E-Government in Your Library (information to help you start thinking about how to provide e-government services in your library) and Ready Reference (a compilation of select resources in the areas of immigration, taxation, social security, health care, and emergency preparedness). 

Because the e-government landscape is always changing, however, we created the Share section within Lib2Gov that would help you to keep up with these changes.  We are particularly excited about providing you with the opportunity to share your ideas, experiences, and best practices related to e-government.  Check out our Community Content where librarians from the Pasco County Library System and Mandel Public Library in Florida have already uploaded a selection of resources on a variety of issues, ranging from mobile devices to employment assistance to senior services.

Beginning in February, we will be working with librarians and representatives from government agencies to bring you monthly webinars that will touch upon different aspects of e-government.  A description of these webinars is available here.

Look around Lib2Gov, join the community, and let us know how we can help you better meet your community’s e-government needs!

 *The site is no longer being updated, and is being preserved as a deliverable for the grant.