Building Capacity for Library Participation in Open Civic Data Work with the Civic Data Education Series

This paper reports on the development and first phase evaluation of the Civic Data Education Series, a modular instructional series that builds civic data literacy and supports library workers’ participation in their civic data ecosystems. The series, funded by the IMLS, is intended to be integrated into LIS coursework and used for professional development training in libraries. The modules encourage information professionals to work alongside community members as they use civic data to uncover structures of oppression, tell their own stories, and address information needs. Through the series and its integration in LIS courses and library training, we aim to prepare library workers to be data intermediaries who contribute to equitable civic data creation, stewardship, and sharing.