Delivering e-government services through innovative partnerships: public libraries, government agencies, and community organizations

Abstract

Due to an increasing reliance on public libraries to deliver government services online, coupled with decreasing funding for public services, many public libraries have begun to collaborate with local government agencies and community organizations to provide vital services to their communities. Drawing upon findings made through an extensive literature review, site visits at a number of public libraries across the country, and interviews with state library staff, government officials, and community organization leaders, this paper highlights the e-government service roles of public libraries, the innovative partnerships between community groups, government agencies, and public libraries in the realm of e-government, and the impacts of these services and partnerships on communities.