Tag Archives: e-gov

Nancy Fredericks honored for building bridges to e-government

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We were excited to see e-gov guru Nancy Fredericks receiving national recognition for her work connecting Florida residents with e-government services and resources. Nancy is one of the 50 dedicated and talented library professionals recently named as a Library Journal 2011 Mover & Shaker.

As more government services and resources were moving online, more people were at risk of losing out on access to essential services. Back in 2007, Nancy and her team at the Pasco County Library System began work to remedy this imbalance. The resulting website, GetHelpFlorida.org, a one-stop, user-friendly portal for Florida and federal e-government, serves as a best practice template for libraries nationwide.

Nancy has been a generous colleague, taking the time to share her work and expertise with other library professionals online and in-person. In December 2010, along with John Bertot (University of Maryland) and Bill Sudduth (University of South Carolina), Nancy shared details of her work on an ALA webinar: E-Gov: Make it Work @ your library. Nancy is also a leading contributor to the ALA E-Government Toolkit,

Last year, 66 percent of libraries reported that access to government information is one of the most critical Internet services they provide. We know this work requires a great deal of one-on-one assistance, which can put extra strain on stretched staffing levels. Library staff should be sure to check out the work of Nancy and her colleagues. Their work is meant to help you as you help others.

New E-Government webinars live online

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As more government agencies eliminate print forms and close satellite offices, communities increasing look to libraries to connect people with essential government resources. In 2010, almost 79% of libraries report they provide assistance to patrons applying for or accessing e- government services, up 23% from just one year ago. At the same time, 53% of libraries report staff do not have the necessary skills to meet patron  e-government needs.

Understanding the imbalance between demand and support, ALA brought three national experts together for a free webinar, “E-GOV: Make it Work @ your library.” When registration opened, the 1,000 seat limit was filled in just a few days, with attendees from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and 11 other countries.

The three webinar presentations, with additional e-gov resources, are now available in the Presentations section of the Public Library Funding and Technology Access Study website.

Here’s the briefest bit on the presentations, which are chockfull of valuable resources, statistics, and examples of services in action:

  • Nancy Fredericks, E-Government Services Manager, Pasco County Public Library Cooperative (Florida), gives a tour of Pasco County’s extensive e-government website, services, and partnerships.
  • Bill Sudduth, Head of Government Information, Microforms, Newspapers, and Maps, University of South Carolina, talks about evaluating quality e-government websites and presents some of his favorite sites.
  • John Carlo Bertot, Director, Center for Library & Information Innovation, University of Maryland, shares national survey data on e-government services provided by libraries, and also a look at new models of collaboration and education for library staff.

Be sure to check out the additional e-government resources, including an issues brief, the E-Gov Toolkit, and state profiles that include customizable handouts for e-government and employment services. All will be useful for advocacy work in the new legislative session.

Does your library have any special e-government resources to share, or examples of your successes and challenges? We, along with thousands more of your colleagues around the country, would love to know.  Please feel free to share in the comment section.