On arguing for free access to government data

[aph809]

Hello,

This is my first posting to this list.

There has been some discussion here on the question how to best influence
government,
and the federal government in particular, to make government information
freely available.

You might find it useful to have a look at a number of briefs
produced by the Canadian Library Association.  See:

http://www.cla.ca/issues/clabrief.htm

Many of these have to do with influencing government on information
issues, including copyright, postal rates for libraries, access to
government information, library funding, etc.  Perhaps there are
some useful models.

At the risk of appearing self-serving, let me mention that one
of these documents is a brief I prepared for CLA on information produced
by Environment Canada.  See:

http://www.cla.ca/issues/enviro.htm

During the 1990s, in order to argue for free access to such
government information, I used the Access to Information Act
to find out how much it _cost_ to produce certain information,
and how much _revenue_  was generated in its sale.

Universally (including the Environment Canada case), I found
a) that sales generated revenues that were
only a small fraction of the cost of producing the information in the first
place, and b) most sales were to other government institutions, be they
federal, provincial/territorial, or municipal

The brief on Environment Canada information incorporated the
results of these researches.  (Incidently, much of the data is
now freely available, though it is never easy to determine a
causal relationship, and whether our brief had any influence
on the matter.  Release of the data occured by stages and over
a number of years.)

This particular brief was sent to the House Standing Committee
on Environment and Sustainable Development, at the time the Committee
was reviewing the estimates for Environment Canada.  The Committee
did not invite CLA to make an oral presentation.

I have not done very much work along these lines in the last couple
of years, aside from a couple of articles relating to Saskatchewan
government information.

Best regards, and good luck.

Andrew Hubbertz


Andrew Hubbertz
Librarian Emeritus
University of Saskatchewan Library

[hidden email]

[Tracey P. Lauriault-2]

wonderful stuff! Thanks Andrew!

[hidden email] wrote:

> Hello,
>
> This is my first posting to this list.
>
> There has been some discussion here on the question how to best influence
> government,
> and the federal government in particular, to make government information
> freely available.
>
> You might find it useful to have a look at a number of briefs
> produced by the Canadian Library Association.  See:
>
> http://www.cla.ca/issues/clabrief.htm
>
> Many of these have to do with influencing government on information
> issues, including copyright, postal rates for libraries, access to
> government information, library funding, etc.  Perhaps there are
> some useful models.
>
> At the risk of appearing self-serving, let me mention that one
> of these documents is a brief I prepared for CLA on information produced
> by Environment Canada.  See:
>
> http://www.cla.ca/issues/enviro.htm
>
> During the 1990s, in order to argue for free access to such
> government information, I used the Access to Information Act
> to find out how much it _cost_ to produce certain information,
> and how much _revenue_  was generated in its sale.
>
> Universally (including the Environment Canada case), I found
> a) that sales generated revenues that were
> only a small fraction of the cost of producing the information in the first
> place, and b) most sales were to other government institutions, be they
> federal, provincial/territorial, or municipal
>
> The brief on Environment Canada information incorporated the
> results of these researches.  (Incidently, much of the data is
> now freely available, though it is never easy to determine a
> causal relationship, and whether our brief had any influence
> on the matter.  Release of the data occured by stages and over
> a number of years.)
>
> This particular brief was sent to the House Standing Committee
> on Environment and Sustainable Development, at the time the Committee
> was reviewing the estimates for Environment Canada.  The Committee
> did not invite CLA to make an oral presentation.
>
> I have not done very much work along these lines in the last couple
> of years, aside from a couple of articles relating to Saskatchewan
> government information.
>
> Best regards, and good luck.
>
> Andrew Hubbertz
>
>
> Andrew Hubbertz
> Librarian Emeritus
> University of Saskatchewan Library
>
> [hidden email]
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> CivicAccess-discuss mailing list
> [hidden email]
> http://civicaccess.ca/mailman/listinfo/civicaccess-discuss_civicaccess.ca
>
>  

[Tracey P. Lauriault-2]

HI Andrew;

I posted your comments here- http://civicaccess.ca/wiki/Politiques
and the recommended readings here - http://civicaccess.ca/wiki/CensusAction

and added you in the participants list as well as created a page for you
to add some bio content, which would be great here -
http://civicaccess.ca/wiki/AndrewHubbertz

I really liked your brief.

[hidden email] wrote:

> Hello,
>
> This is my first posting to this list.
>
> There has been some discussion here on the question how to best influence
> government,
> and the federal government in particular, to make government information
> freely available.
>
> You might find it useful to have a look at a number of briefs
> produced by the Canadian Library Association.  See:
>
> http://www.cla.ca/issues/clabrief.htm
>
> Many of these have to do with influencing government on information
> issues, including copyright, postal rates for libraries, access to
> government information, library funding, etc.  Perhaps there are
> some useful models.
>
> At the risk of appearing self-serving, let me mention that one
> of these documents is a brief I prepared for CLA on information produced
> by Environment Canada.  See:
>
> http://www.cla.ca/issues/enviro.htm
>
> During the 1990s, in order to argue for free access to such
> government information, I used the Access to Information Act
> to find out how much it _cost_ to produce certain information,
> and how much _revenue_  was generated in its sale.
>
> Universally (including the Environment Canada case), I found
> a) that sales generated revenues that were
> only a small fraction of the cost of producing the information in the first
> place, and b) most sales were to other government institutions, be they
> federal, provincial/territorial, or municipal
>
> The brief on Environment Canada information incorporated the
> results of these researches.  (Incidently, much of the data is
> now freely available, though it is never easy to determine a
> causal relationship, and whether our brief had any influence
> on the matter.  Release of the data occured by stages and over
> a number of years.)
>
> This particular brief was sent to the House Standing Committee
> on Environment and Sustainable Development, at the time the Committee
> was reviewing the estimates for Environment Canada.  The Committee
> did not invite CLA to make an oral presentation.
>
> I have not done very much work along these lines in the last couple
> of years, aside from a couple of articles relating to Saskatchewan
> government information.
>
> Best regards, and good luck.
>
> Andrew Hubbertz
>
>
> Andrew Hubbertz
> Librarian Emeritus
> University of Saskatchewan Library
>
> [hidden email]
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> CivicAccess-discuss mailing list
> [hidden email]
> http://civicaccess.ca/mailman/listinfo/civicaccess-discuss_civicaccess.ca
>
>