Aaron Brenner
Coordinator of Digital Scholarship
University of Pittsburgh
Bob Gradeck
Research Manager, University Center for Social and Urban Research
University of Pittsburgh
Michael Bolam
Metadata Librarian
University of Pittsburgh
Eleanor Mattern
Visiting Assistant Professor and Postdoctoral Researcher
University of Pittsburgh
Many cities are creating open portals to gather, facilitate access to, and encourage use of civic data. However, few of these initiatives involve university partnerships, and even fewer involve academic libraries. Libraries are natural partners with civic data initiatives because of their long-held expertise in standards-based information management, stewardship, information literacy and training, and, more recently, data management. The University Library System at the University of Pittsburgh is working with the University Center for Social and Urban Research, the City of Pittsburgh, and Allegheny County in the development of the Western Pennsylvania Regional Data Portal (WPRDC). Experts at the University Library have provided guidance on metadata and managing personally identifiable information, consulted on platform and vendor selection, and helped design training and documentation for diverse users within the university and regional community. Our partnership with the WPRDC leverages established areas of expertise in the library for civic impact and partnerships with new constituencies in need of support. Projects such as this are a means of raising the visibility and engagement of academic libraries in the service of the public good and to support the research and educational mission of the University.