Government Information in Canada/Information gouvernementale au Canada, Volume 4, number/numéro 1 (Summer/été 1997)


Finding Local Government Information on the Web (1)

Judy Curry (2)


The Internet presents many possibilities for librarians and researchers who are looking for information by and about local governments. Strategies for identifying and evaluating Web sites are presented and selected key sites are discussed.

L'Internet offre plusieurs possibilités de dépistage de l'information par et aux sujet des gouvernements provinciaux pour les bibliothécaires et les recherchistes. Des stratégies dévaluation et d'identification de sites web sont présentées et des sites principaux choisis sont discutés.


The local documents field has traditionally been a difficult one for both librarians and researchers, due to the fragmented and dispersed nature of local information. The absence of a coordinated system for selecting and acquiring the publications of local governments has made the maintenance of a local documents collection a very labour-intensive process. It is a challenge to stay on top of what is happening locally and very difficult to provide any kind of national or international coverage of other urban centres.

A further complication is added by the premium on currency in the urban field. Many urban information seekers are looking for current statistical and financial figures, new data on population and economic trends, and recently released policy papers, reports, and council decisions. All of these questions require an up-to-the-minute knowledge of what is available (and where to look for it) before they can be answered.

In other words, this is an area in which there is a great deal of emphasis on finding topical information on local policies, trends and issues from an almost limitless number of geographic areas whose publications are not coordinated in any meaningful way.

 

Enter the Internet: How Can the Internet Change the Ways in Which We Find and Access Urban Information?

1) Regional, National and Global Access

The Internet has suddenly made it possible to find out what is going on in Halifax, Houston, or Helsinki. Hundreds, if not thousands, of municipalities worldwide have established Web sites. Of course, the quality and content of the site may vary widely, depending on the municipality's commitment to this form of information dissemination. However, even in the case of those less-than-perfect sites, the Web provides a starting point where once it was impossible to know how or where to even begin a search. In the case of associations based outside the immediate area, it is now much easier to find out what new conferences or publications are planned.

2) Currency

In the past, libraries have usually been dependent on annual (at best) directories or publications lists for information on names of key officials and new documents. Again, depending on the municipality's or association's commitment to updating its Web site, researchers now have the ability to find information that is updated to the current month, week, or even day.

3) Publications, Documents, and Legislation

The process of identifying new titles, finding out who is distributing them, and what they cost is a time-consuming process. Someone may have heard that a new report has been released, but not have its title or know exactly which agency has issued it. For a locally-based municipality or association, this may mean that several phone calls must be made before the title can be tracked down. For material from beyond the local area, the process of writing a letter, waiting for a reply, trying to guess which items might be useful and then sending in an order, may mean that several months elapse before the "new" document is in one's hands.

However, the Internet makes it possible to greatly expedite this search. One of the primary ways in which both governments and associations are utilizing the Internet is to publicize new publications and provide ordering information. It is not unusual for executive summaries or abstracts of new publications to be included on the Web site. In the case of local documents, some municipalities may actually use the Internet to distribute the full text of reports on which they wish to receive public comment. In the areas of minutes and legislation, always difficult to collect beyond the local area, it is now possible to acquire council documents, bylaws, and zoning codes from a variety of cities.

4) Contacts

One of the original purposes of the Internet was to allow people to keep in touch with others with whom they shared a common interest. This is particularly important in the urban field. If you are a municipal government official, it means that you can identify and communicate with your peers in other cities who may be facing the same issues as you are. If you are a professor, student, or association member, you can also keep yourself informed about conferences and current research by linking with others working in your area of interest.

 

Use of the Internet by Local Governments and Urban Affairs Groups or Institutions

An excellent overview of the ways in which local governments are using the Web has been compiled by the Association of Bay Area Governments and is available on their Web site at http://www.abag.ca.gov/abag/local_gov/examples.shtml. The types of uses generally fall into the following categories:

  • to facilitate citizen access to government decision-making processes by making available council and committee agendas and minutes, and multimedia records of public meetings

  • to inform citizens of government structures, functions, officials, and contact points

  • to disseminate publications, including reports, guides, directories, pamphlets, and financial and statistical information

  • to solicit citizen input on community and planning issues

  • to conduct city business more efficiently by allowing such things as online tenders, applications, and registrations

  • to encourage economic development by promoting local business and industry and stimulating tourist interest

A detailed evaluation of the best city Web sites would perhaps have to be the topic of another article. However, to get some idea of the innovative and clever ways that local governments are using the Web, check out the sites for Calgary (http://www.gov.calgary.ab.ca) and Vancouver (http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca). Calgary includes such interesting facts as crime statistics by community, while Vancouver includes full text access to its Council Decisions and Reports. Metro Toronto (http://www.metrotor.on.ca) has recently added its minutes from 1989 to the present and the City of Toronto (http://www.city.toronto.on.ca) has published demographic information on the Greater Toronto Area from the 1996 Census. For a look at a noteworthy American site, try the City of Seattle's PanSeattle site at http://www.pan.ci.seattle.wa.us. It is a good example of a citizen-friendly site whether you are looking for neighbourhood profiles and services or checking out traffic conditions on local freeways.

Many local government associations and institutions have also established Web sites. For some, this provides a means of linking with a much larger audience than they would normally be able to reach. As well as a higher profile, this may also translate into increased membership and more publication sales. Even in the case of free publications, the high costs of printing and distribution may make publishing journals or reports on the Web an attractive alternative to print.

Examples of professional and institutional uses of the Internet include:

  • publicizing upcoming meetings, conferences, or conventions

  • providing membership lists and other information for/about members, including mission statements, objectives, and annual reports

  • making available publication catalogues and permitting online ordering

  • publishing reports, papers, proceedings, electronic journals, and newsletters, and publicizing current research projects

  • providing access to resource libraries that are maintained by the institution

  • publicizing continuing education, giving career guidance, and advertising job postings

  • providing links to other resources and related Web sites

  • facilitating opportunities for communication and feedback amongst members via email

 

How the Web has Played a Major Role in A Key Local Issue: The Toronto Megacity Debate

A recent and dramatic example of the power and possibilities of the Internet was provided by the ongoing "Megacity" debate over municipal government reform in Metro Toronto. The Ontario provincial government introduced and eventually passed legislation, which will significantly alter the local government landscape within Metro Toronto.

Metro Toronto's famous two-tier metropolitan system of government will be dismantled and will be replaced by a single local government. The six constituent municipalities (the cities of Toronto, North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, York, and the borough of East York) that make up Metro Toronto will cease to exist as legal entities, but will all become part of the new [Mega]city of Toronto. At the same time, other proposed changes to the municipal financial structure province-wide will result in shifting funding responsibility between the province and the cities for the educational system and social services such as welfare and long-term care facilities.

The magnitude and nature of these changes excited great controversy amongst the citizens of Metro Toronto and was vigorously opposed by most of the affected local governments. What has been fascinating to see throughout this whole debate is the way in which governments (both provincial and local) and citizens have used the Web to inform and persuade.

The Web has been used by both the provincial government and local municipal governments to disseminate:

  • press releases

  • consultants' reports and position papers

  • speeches

  • texts of deputations

  • legislation

  • statistical analyses

It has also been used by citizens' groups (primarily the anti-amalgamation groups) to release:

  • newsletters

  • meeting notices

  • excerpts from official government Web sites (e.g., the text of anti-amalgamation deputants pulled from the provincial legislature site)

Both governments and citizens have also used the Internet as a channel for allowing public feedback, via email messages to provincial and local politicians.

How is this different from what would have happened in the past with an issue such as this? For the library, it has meant almost instantaneous access to legislation, transcripts, judicial decisions, and reports that would have taken days or weeks to acquire in print form. For individual citizens, they now have the ability, in the comfort of their own home, to access a staggering range of information on this issue.

For a look at the range of information that has been made available on this issue, have a look at both the Metro Toronto (http://www.metrotor.on.ca) and City of Toronto (http://www.city.toronto.on.ca) Web sites, as well as the site of one of the major anti-amalgamation groups, Citizens for Local Democracy (http://community.web.net/citizens/). In the case of the Metro Toronto and City of Toronto Web sites, much of the amalgamation legislation information has been moved from the main page of the site in favour of newer material on the transition to the Megacity. However, as of this writing, most of the information is still available, under "Your Tax Dollar" in the case of the Metro Toronto site and "City Issues" in the case of the City of Toronto. There are now two new Web sites, which are inviting citizen participation on the amalgamation process: the so-called "NewCity" site at http://www.new.city-toronto.org/; and the site of the Toronto Transition Team at http://www.newtoronto.com.

 

How to Identify and Evaluate Urban Sites (Plus How to Find What You Want When You Want It) (3)

There are some general rules and strategies to follow when trying to find and evaluate any Web site. If you do not already have an address for a site you want to go to, you will have to create a search plan. This may involve using search engines or subject trees, or going to sites that bring together a variety of urban resources as a jumping-off point. Always keep in mind that the Web has no controlled vocabulary, no subject headings and there is no way of predicting what words individuals or groups have used to describe their Web pages.

Before you start any search, you should always clarify exactly what type of information you are looking for and ask yourself if the Web is the best place to find it. There are still occasions when picking up the phone, searching a library catalogue, or using a magazine index may be the best use of your time.

If you decide that the Web is the best place to look, take a minute or two to compose your query and think about which search tools are most appropriate. If you are going to use a search engine, take the time to learn how to use the ones that you consult most frequently and always be prepared to refine your search as you go along.

Once you have found a site or group of sites, your work is not done. You must be prepared to evaluate every site and decide if it is reliable, authoritative, and provides the information that meets your needs. The fact that almost anyone can create a Web site is at the same time the Internet's greatest strength and its greatest weakness. You, as the user, must be prepared to apply your own criteria when evaluating any Web site. Some of the questions you must ask yourself are:

  • What is the source of the site? Is it an "official" local government site or the site of a well-known association or agency? What are the credentials of the person(s) responsible for maintaining the site? Is the site recognized and cited by others in the field?

  • What is the scope of the site? What is it intended to cover and does it meet its objectives? How does this mesh with the kind of information you are looking for?

  • What is the currency of the site? How often is the site updated? If it is supposed to change, does it change when promised? Does the site change too frequently, i.e., add and drop segments that are of permanent value?

  • What is the purpose of the site? Is the purpose explicit and, if so, does it match your needs? Is the site used for advertisement or commercial purposes? Does it reflect a particular point of view?

  • Is the Web content available in any other medium? Is there a print equivalent?

  • Is the site well organized and understandable? Can you find your way around the site easily? Are the links to pages within the site logical? Can you find your way to the same information each time or do you get lost because of unclear organization?

  • Does the site load quickly? Does the site load more slowly at certain times of the day?

Use bookmarks to organize frequently visited sites. As soon as you start to collect a few sites, separate them under different subject or geographic headings so that you can find the site you want easily.

 

Identifying Local Government Sites

How, then, can one go about compiling a list of useful sites?

  • Build on others' knowledge. Search for articles (such as this one!) or conference papers that detail sites identified and evaluated by experts.

  • Browse all-inclusive urban sites. Wide-ranging sites such as Cyburbia (formerly the University of Buffalo's Planning and Architecture Internet Resource Center, or PAIRC) (http://www.arch.buffalo.edu/pairc) provide an interesting and effective way of becoming familiar with the subject field.

  • Decide on your own Web site collection policy. Compile a list of the local governments and institutions in which you are interested and to which you think you will return again and again. In the case of local governments, a geographical approach may be best. You may decide to concentrate on all local municipalities, plus major cities in your province and across Canada above a certain population threshold. There may be certain cities, either nationally or internationally, which are important for purposes of comparison with your own local municipality or are well-known for being leaders in the areas that you are interested in. In the case of associations or institutions, use your professional knowledge and research to identify well-known bodies.

  • If you do not have Web addresses for the sites in which you are interested, use other Internet resources, such as Web sites devoted to a similar topic, search engines, or newsgroup postings to help you find the sites you want. In the case of local governments, use sources such as Cyburbia's Local Government page, the WorldWide Local Government Homepage (http://world.localgov.org/), and the Intergovernmental On-line Information Kiosk (http://www.intergov.gc.ca/mun/index.html) to identify sites. Use search engines or a Web site such as CityNet (http://www.city.net) to look for cities that don't seem to be on anybody's list.

 

Some Key Sites in the Urban Affairs Field

In the world of the Internet, sites change so quickly that this month's list of "must-see" sites can quickly become outdated. So, with that caveat in mind, here are some sites that should give researchers a good start on getting a handle on local government resources. In almost every case, following the links found on each site will permit the construction of an impressive list of useful sites.

1) Directories of Local Governments

While it may be useful to bookmark the cities that you consult frequently, there are so many local government sites that letting someone else do the work of compiling a list of sites and then using that site to find the city you want according to an alphabetical or geographical index is often the most effective way of searching. Using one of these local government directory sites is often more efficient than using a search engine or even going through a site such as CityNet (http://www.city.net), in which you may have to wade through various tourism and commercial sites before you find the "official" local government page.

For Canadian cities, one of the best sites is the Intergovernmental On-line Information Kiosk for Canadian Municipalities site at http://www.intergov.gc.ca/mun/index.html. For U.S. local governments try the National City Government Resource Center at http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/1389/ or the Local Government subsection of Cyburbia at http://www.arch.buffalo.edu/pairc. Cyburbia also provides some Canadian and International coverage. Two other sites specifically devoted to keeping track of city governments internationally are the International City Government Resource Center at http://www.geocities.com/Paris/9925/ and the Worldwide Local Government Web Page at http://world.localgov.org/.

2) Local Government Institute (http://www.hsd.uvic.ca/PADM/research/lgi/lgi.htm)

The Local Government Institute Website, under the School of Public Administration at the University of Victoria, is designed to assist local government managers across Canada to improve local government service delivery. For searchers, it provides an easy way to link up with Canadian municipal associations, such as the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (http://www.fcm.ca) and other U.S. and international sites, as well as subject specific urban information.

3) Cyburbia (formerly Planning and Architecture Internet Resource Center, University of Buffalo) (http://www.arch.buffalo.edu/pairc)

Cyburbia is more than just an information source for the planning and architecture fields. It is an excellent example of a site that attempts to bring together a wide range of resources--almost like an electronic library of sites. It can be used as a starting point for a specific query and is endlessly interesting as a place to just surf around. As well as looking at the directories of local governments, check out the "Governance" section of this site for links to many, many local government organizations and the "Planning Documents" and "Land Use--Zoning Ordinances and Regulations" sections for examples of model ordinances and other documents of interest to planning officials.

4) Magazines

Municipal World (http://www.municipalworld.com), a Canadian title, is the oldest continuously published municipal magazine in the world. Its Web site provides information about local government and links to other local government resources. The U.S.-based Planning Commissioners Journal (http://www.webcom.com/~pcj) is an example of a magazine that offers a Web version with selected articles reproduced in the full version. Other magazines or newsletters are sometimes available through local government professional association sites, such as the ICMA (International City/County Management Association) site (http://www.icma.org), which includes a very interesting full-text periodical called Cities International Newsletter under its "Publications" link.

5) ICURR (Intergovernmental Committee on Urban and Regional Research) (http://www.icurr.org/icurr/)

This Canadian information clearing house is particularly interesting because ICURR has chosen to put its library holdings in a searchable form on the Web. Anyone may search the catalogue and registered members can order items by email.

6) LOGIN (*subscription required) (http://www.lihost.com/login/index.html BUT user ID and password required to move to the first screen)

The Metro Urban Affairs Library is a subscriber to this U.S.-based information service, which is composed of local government innovations, submitted by municipal government officials. You must be a subscriber to use this service and, unlike ICURR, you cannot browse any part of the site without being a member. For more information on the LOGIN service and a sample of the database, go to http://www.login-localgov.com.

 

Some Unresolved Information Storage and Retrieval Issues

I hope that this article has demonstrated not only the very real usefulness of the Web today, but the tremendous future potential it has for making local and urban information readily accessible to a worldwide audience. While our experience with the Internet in the library has been overwhelmingly positive, there are a few issues (beyond "why has the *$!&# system gone down?") with which we are currently struggling.

One relates to downloading and printing. As we saw in the section on the Megacity, a tremendous amount of background material is available on the Web. How can we incorporate this material into our collection and library catalogue, so that when, a year or ten years from now, someone comes in and wants a specific report we will be able to find it? Do we have to download and print everything in order to be assured of a hard copy? What happens in the case of a document or set of submissions that is several hundred pages long if the issuing agency does not offer the option of purchasing a print version?

Another issue relates to retrospective coverage. Even in the short time (i.e., the last nine months) that we have been monitoring the local government sites for amalgamation information, some material has been dropped from sites in favour of newer documents. Again, does this mean that we should download or make a hard copy of everything as soon as we see it, in case it is not there next week? Retrospective coverage of minutes or committee transcripts is another area where librarians have concerns over future government policy. Is there a limit to how much retrospective coverage will be provided on the Web? Must we continue to receive (and, in some cases, pay) for print copies in case one day, a year from now, we go on the Web and realize that last year's agendas, reports, transcripts have been archived and are no longer accessible?

In a way, both of these issues are part of a larger question: how will we integrate the Internet into our network of information resources, whether it be in a library setting or on a personal level? In the library, we are just now getting over the "Oh my gosh, will you look at that!" stage and heading into the "Yes, that's fantastic, what do we do with it now?" period. Since what we have looked at today would have been completely unimaginable five years ago, it is probably futile to predict where the Internet is going. What we can do, as librarians, academics, and government professionals is to make sure that we involve ourselves by being as knowledgeable as we can and making our information needs known to Web site publishers everywhere.


Notes

[1] May be cited as/On peut citer comme suit:

Judy Curry. "Finding Local Government Information on the Web," Government Information in Canada/Information gouvernementale au Canada 4, no. 1 (1997). [http://www.usask.ca/library/gic/v4n1/curry/curry.html]
Back to text.

[2]

Judy Curry
Coordinator
Metro Urban Affairs Library
Metro Hall, 55 John Street
Toronto, Ontario M5V 3C6
jcurry@gwmail.mtrl.toronto.on.ca
Back to text.

[3] The section on general rules and strategies for finding and evaluating Websites is based on training material prepared by Heather Kessler of the Metropolitan Toronto Reference Library's Systems Development Department.
Back to text.


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