Dear colleagues,

I recently attended a local city planning commission meeting to observe the debate over a proposed development. The commission members relied primarily on testimony, not objective data, to make their decisions. The development would impact traffic, safety, schools, sewer, solid waste, water treatment, recreation, property values, flooding, and watersheds, but no data about those impacts was shared at the meeting. As Tennessee communities grow and meet current challenges, the availability of open data will improve our decision-making and ability to meet current challenges.

When I heard David Green participate in the Library 2.019: Open Data conference last June, I wanted to learn more about what he is doing with open data in Chapel Hill, NC. I invited him to speak at the Tenn-Share conference, so he can share his knowledge with Tenn-Share member libraries. He is delivering our keynote address, Open to Something New?, to kick off our day-long discussions about data in libraries. As a bonus, he will give another presentation, Libraries as Partners in the Open Data Movement, in which he will focus on public libraries’ role in the open data movement.

Throughout the day we’ll learn from many library professionals about methods to find, manage, and use data to meet many different outcomes. We want you to be part of the conversation next Friday, October 18 at the Nashville Public Library. Please register today and plan to join us next week.

Best,

Mary Ellen Sloane

Science Librarian

James E. Walker Library

Middle Tennessee State University, Box 13

Murfreesboro, TN 37132
voice: (615) 898-2526

fax: (615) 904-8531

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https://mtsu.edu/faculty/mary-ellen-sloane