Federal funding supports Washington State Library staff (.5 FTE) who help libraries use public data to plan internally, enhance collections and services, and strengthen community partnerships. Examples of consultation include helping libraries to,
- Use public data to understand local needs (e.g., languages spoken, job skills sought) and improve services;
- Choose the right information-gathering approaches for their communities;
- Incorporate public data into reference service and collections;
- Work with local government, to open up more high-quality local data;
- Publish high-quality data about library services;
- Protect patrons' private data;
- Teach patrons about data, privacy and emerging technology (e.g., generative AI).
Learn more about data consultation services and State Library guides and resources.