Module 5

Introduction

This module is more than a civic refresher lesson. Local government can seem impenetrable, uninterested, and controlling to outside orgs. Library staff often see local government as an authority and/or funding source with the power to grant or deny library resources. But local government have needs that information professionals are well-positioned to help with, too. This isn’t the one-way relationship we sometimes imagine.

This module focuses on the people within government and the factors that influence their choices and actions in hopes that libraries can enter civic tech partnerships with an appreciation for the needs and goals of government staff and elected officials. Use this module to consider what information needs of government might be supported by libraries and their information services, so that civic tech projects can be established as partnerships instead of favors, and that partnerships are focused on shared goals instead of resources contributed.
‍
In this module, you will learn how to:

Understand the incentives of people in local government to partner with organizations
Match types of civic problems with appropriate units of local government
Identify funding opportunities and resources for civic tech projects
Identify ownership issues of civic tech

Lessons

These lessons provide an introduction to the structures of local government and factors that influence government partner decisions and priorities.
Three case studies provide examples of student and library partnerships with local government.

Lesson on What is Local Government?

A brief primer on the structures of local government that can help in considering which civic tech projects they might be interested in and how to align with their motivations.

Lesson on What Motivates Local Government?

Learn what incentives and pressures influence the choices and actions of government partners.

Lesson on How to Build Partnerships with Local Government

Based on the structures and incentives presented in the previous lessons, consider how to best create and maintain partnerships with local government that are essential to effective civic tech projects.

Case Study: Information students share insights on working with city government

Library and Archives students talk about their experience working with local government partners on civic tech projects.

Case Study: How we formed a partnership between the library and city hall

A librarian and a government staffer discuss their work together to make public records more available and relatable to the public, including how they got started and the challenges that came along the way.

Case Study: Helping residents navigate city services in Dearborn, Michigan

A student team works with residents and local government to make it easier for people to find the resources they are seeking in city government.

Activity

Consider a civic tech project that you are interested in. This can be a well-defined project or an early stage idea.

Part 1: review information about your local government to better understand who you might seek to partner with:

Which departments or units hold the information related to this project?
Which elected officials sit on commissions or committees that address issues connected to this project?
Who has authority and responsibility over decisions about your project topic?
Which government departments or units interact with the public about topics relevant to your project?

Part 2: take some of the following actions to better understand how this government partner communicates their work.

Attend a public meeting hosted by the potential partner. This might be an open house, a committee meeting, or a public event. Think about how they communicate their work and their value.
Seek information about services or data provided by the potential partner. What does it tell you about their perspective on sharing data and providing information to the public?
Write an invitation to the potential partner to join an event at your organization, contribute their expertise to a public talk, or provide feedback on an idea related to your civic tech project.

Part 3: use the results of parts 1 and 2 to recognize shared values and goals, opportunities and resources they offer, and concerns and obstacles that might come up in a partnership.

Additional Resources

Here are a few additional resources for examples and guidance on partnering with local government on civic tech projects.

So, You Want to Fix Democracy?
Joshua Tauberer presents an argument for partnering with local government, and involving government workers in the process of designing and implementing civic tech tools- technologists don’t understand how government works.
Why spending time teaching residents about city budgets pays off.
This article describes the impact of intentional planning and application of information tools as part of community engagement efforts around municipal budgeting. Lansing aimed to engage the public in understanding the challenges and contributing their ideas for the City budget.
Forms of Local Government (National League of Cities)
At Code for America, There’s Hope for Local Procurement Reform Amid Ongoing Struggles
This article describes the critical role that procurement plays in developing and managing civic tech tools and services in local government. Often, procurement processes and requirements make it difficult to implement the tech solutions that everyone wants.
Memorandum of Understanding Template
A document that describes the relationship and general activities between the University and the City Government in having students work on City projects. This template is a simple version that highlights there are no legal or financial obligations for either party. The CID program has used this template with our city partners.