GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
DC PUBLIC LIBRARY

Open Government Report 2014

To institutionalize a culture of transparent and open government, accountability, and to
expand opportunities for resident participation and collaboration, this Report describes
how the District of Columbia Public Library (“DCPL”) has and will continue to develop
and enhance transparency, public participation, and collaboration. In accordance with
Mayor’s Order 2014-170, this report addresses the following topics:
1)

Transparency
Describe the steps your agency has taken or plans to take to be more transparent.
Please include a description of:
 How and to what extent your agency shares information with the public, e.g.
publication of information in the District register and on the agency website,
press releases, and documents in the agency’s FOIAXpress reading room.
 How the agency meets its obligations pursuant to the District’s Freedom of
Information Act and Open Meetings Act.
 Steps your agency will take to increase public access to information.
 Steps your agency will take, including an implementation timeline, to webcast
live and archive on the internet board or commission meetings. (This
question only applies to agencies that are overseen or advised by a board or
commission that is subject to the Open Meetings Act.)
 How your agency has taken or plans to take steps to make more of its data
available to the public.
DCPL is working closely with the Office of the City Administrator (OCA) and
the Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) to identify a significant
number of datasets that OCA and OCTO expect to publish online later this year.
If no dataset from DCPL is selected to be included in this 2014 release, we will
continue to work with OCA and OCTO to identify datasets appropriate to publish
in 2015. In the future, requirements for open data reporting will be provided by
the General Counsel.
DCPL shares information with the public in a variety of ways, which include the
DCPL website, the DC Register, Press Releases, printed materials in library
locations and meetings open to the public. The DCPL website,
www.dclibrary.org, provides up to date information on library activities, data, and
events. DCPL also uses its Open Government and FOIA webpage to share
information with the public. This page is located at
www.dclibrary.org/generalcounsel/opengovernment. Additionally, DCPL
publishes changes to its legislation in the DC Register.
1

DCPL also has DCPL Board of Library Trustees Meetings (“Board Meeting”)
every other month at one if its designated Library branches. These meetings are
open to the public and the public is able to testify at each meeting. These
meetings are publicized ahead of time at the designated library location as well as
on the library’s website. The meeting minutes from each Board Meeting is placed
on the DCPL website for the public. DCPL also shares information and responds
to District residents through its social media channels including Facebook,
Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google+, Goodreads and YouTube.
DCPL continues to meet its obligations under the District’s Freedom of
Information Act and the Open Meetings Act. The agency utilizes FOIAXpress to
process all FOIA requests and publishes frequently requested documents in the
FOIAXpress Reading Room. DCPL is committed to making data available to the
public and continuously explores ways to share new information.

2)

Public Engagement and Participation
Describe the steps your agency has taken or plans to take to enhance or expand
opportunities for the public to participate in agency decision-making. Please include
a description of:
 How your agency provides online access to proposed rules and regulations
and secures public input on them. Please list links to specific websites.
 How your agency shares information and resources to keep the public
properly informed, e.g. community meetings, public hearings, FAQs, and
ways the public can provide input such as Twitter, grade.dc.gov, email
contacts.
 How your agency identifies stakeholders and invites their participation.
 Steps your agency will take to improve public engagement and participation
including any new feedback tools or mechanisms the agency is considering.
DCPL values public participation in agency decision-making and continuously seeks
ways to enhance or expand opportunities for public participation. DCPL actively
uses Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google+, Goodreads and YouTube. to
share information and engage the public. The public is encouraged to attend forums
and meetings that pertain to the DCPL. For example, DCPL has held and will
continue to hold public meetings related to the renovation of the Martin Luther King,
Jr. Memorial Library. Additionally the public is invited to attend the DC Public
Library Board of Trustee Meetings. The dates and minutes for Board Meetings are
posted on the DCPL Open Government and FOIA page.
DCPL also seeks feedback from the public on any proposed legislative changes.
DCPL publishes proposed changes to legislation in the DC Register. The public may
comment on proposed changes for 30 days after the change has been published.

2

DCPL also regularly solicits feedback input from District residents through focus
groups, online and in-person surveys, and user interviews.
3)

Collaboration
Describe the steps your agency has taken or plans to take to enhance or expand
cooperation among departments, other governmental agencies, the public, and nonprofit and private entities in fulfilling its obligations. Please include a description of:
 How your agency currently collaborates with the above parties. Please list
links to specific websites if appropriate.
 Steps your agency will take to improve collaboration with the above parties
including any new feedback tools or mechanisms the agency is considering,
e.g. prizes, competitions, and other innovative methods.
DCPL regularly collaborates to provide services to the public. The DCPL’s Program and
Partnership Department collaborates with other government agencies, the public, and
non-profit and private entities to develop and host programs that benefit the public. For
example, the DCPL has partnered with Pathways to Housing to provide services to the
homeless population at the MLK Library. DCPL has also partnered with the Department
of Corrections to provide a library for inmates. Additionally, DCPL currently has three
library locations that are located within another government agency location. The DCPL
collaborates with various government agencies (e.g. DGS, DDOE, MPD, OHR) by way
of Agency Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) and scheduled meetings between
the parties to enhance and expand the services DCPL provides. DCPL further
collaborates with DCPS, DCPCSB and OSSE on a number of education initiatives for
young children and students.
Public engagement and collaboration continues to be an important value to DCPL. The
DCPL works very closely with the DC Public Library Foundation, whose mission is to
raise funds for the DCPL as well as several Friends organizations. The DCPL
collaborates with the Foundation and Friends organization to enhance services, share
information, and expose the public to the DCPL and its missions. The DCPL consistently
works on new ways to partner with other governmental agencies in an effort to increase
efficiency and further District goals.

.

3