Anybody who works near the public computers in a library knows that e-government – the government doing its business with the people online rather than in person or through the mail – brings a lot of people into the library to use those computers. It started with tax form downloads and then got a big boost last year as people registered for “Obamacare.” Legislators typically justify providing new services only online by pointing to the public libraries as the safety net for those who do not have Internet access elsewhere, though libraries seldom see any of the money e-government saves. Connect Ohio has now released some interesting data that shows there are already a lot of people using e-government in Ohio, and that number is almost certainly going to grow.
- 3.6 million Ohioans use e-government services (Connected Nation | Lyndsey Kleven) “Younger Internet users in Ohio (50% of 18-34 year olds) are more likely than their older peers (46% of ages 35 or older) to go online to search for information, apply for services, or fill out forms. Across the state, more than 1.2 million households still do not subscribe to home broadband service, one in eight cite lack of digital skills as leading barrier to home broadband subscription.”
- Making government accessible: e-Government usage in Ohio (Connect Ohio) [pdf] “Two groups in Ohio experience a unique need to remain in contact with government offices. Ohio veterans often work with government agencies for issues ranging from healthcare to job training. In addition, state and federal agencies work with Ohio adults who have disabilities to improve their care and ensure that they have access to the services they need. For many of these Ohioans, the Internet is how they stay in touch with those government agencies.”
- State Library of Ohio: Leading practices for e-government services (WebJunction | Vanessa Mason and Liz Morris) “While the state library staff members that attended the monthly meetings of this group [Ohio Network for Health Coverage and Enrollment] initially encountered suspicion due to questions about the role of a state library agency’s place in enrollment strategies, over time meeting attendees not only embraced the role of libraries in supporting marketplace enrollment, but came to expect it as a natural and necessary fit. These monthly meetings helped state library staff learn from practitioners in other institutions and provided resources that librarians could take back and adapt to share with their public libraries.”
- eGads! eGov! Helping libraries navigate online government resources (OLC Immersion Workshop) “As more and more government services and programs move to online access, more patrons are turning to their libraries for help navigating this eGovernment environment. Workshop participants will learn about frontline, best practices for helping patrons with eGovernment websites along with legal issues to consider. Presenters from the Ohio Department of Veterans Services, Social Security Administration, and Ohio Department of Job and Family Services will discuss government programs and services and the best practices for accessing these programs and services.”
Articles from Ohio Web Library:
- Local e-government in the United States: Transformation or incremental change? (Public Administration Review, Jan/Feb 2013, p165-175 | Donald F. Norris and Christopher G. Reddick)
- Delivering e-government services and transforming communities through innovative partnerships: Public libraries, government agencies, and community organizations. (Information Polity: The International Journal of Government & Democracy in the Information Age, 2013, p127-138 | John Carlo Bertot, Paul T. Jaeger, Ursula Gorham, Natalie Greene Taylor, and Ruth Lincoln)
- Rural public libraries and digital inclusion: Issues and challenges. (Information Technology & Libraries, March 2014, p6-24 | Brian Real, John Carlo Bertot, and Paul T. Jaeger)
