2013-16 OPEN DATA STRATEGY
State Library of Queensland
Contents
Version history ................................................................................................................................ 0
1.0 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Strategic overview: short/long term objectives ........................................................................... 1
1.2 Open data context ........................................................................................................................ 1
1.3 Policy principles ............................................................................................................................ 2
2.0 Data ................................................................................................................................................... 2
2.1 Types of data: identification ......................................................................................................... 2
2.2. Release schedule: prioritisation ................................................................................................... 3
2.3 Publishing data .............................................................................................................................. 3
2.4 Engagement .................................................................................................................................. 3
2.4 Future program ............................................................................................................................. 4
3.0 Appendix ........................................................................................................................................... 5
3.1 Source references & related resources ........................................................................................ 5
3.2 Glossary ......................................................................................................................................... 5
Version history
Version
1.0
2.0
Date
30-Sep-2013
30-Sep-2015
Comments
Approved version
Updated to align with new Strategic Plan, mog changes, new Government
Policy. Separated the release schedule out as a second document in
alignment with DSITI practice.
© State of Queensland, 2013. This publication has been compiled by the State Library of Queensland.
The copyright in this publication is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia (CC BY) licence.
The Queensland Government supports and encourages the dissemination and exchange of its information. Under this licence you
are free, without having to seek our permission, to use this publication in accordance with the licence terms. You must keep intact
the copyright notice and attribute the State of Queensland as the source of the publication. For more information on this licence,
visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/deed.en. The information contained herein is subject to change without
notice. The Queensland Government shall not be liable for technical or other errors or omissions contained herein. The
reader/user accepts all risks and responsibility for losses, damages, costs and other consequences resulting directly or indirectly
from using this information.
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Strategic overview: short/long term objectives
State Library of Queensland is a vibrant and innovative 21st century library. It is an inclusive and
welcoming place for all, a trusted source for information, a place for intellectual freedom and
creativity and the primary custodian of Queensland’s memory. As a physical and virtual place/space
for sharing, learning, collaborating and creating – State Library champions open access to
information and ideas as a key enabler for a strong, well-informed and innovative society.
State Library partners with a network of 340 public libraries and Indigenous Knowledge Centres to
deliver library services, and provides state-wide electronic access to a wide range of information
resources – including a rapidly growing range of digitised unique Queensland material. Working with
this network, State Library plays a key role in delivering the Queensland Government’s Advance
Queensland vision. State Library supports interaction with government data by not only providing
access to data but creating opportunities to engage with data and building digital literacy skills.
1.2 Open data context
As part of the Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation (DSITI), State Library’s
2013–16 Open Data Strategy aims to:


Increase the openness and transparency of its services and delivery processes
Report on customer feedback/experience and allow new products or services to be
developed by users of the data
Capture the public interest and promote public debate.

State Library has already released a number of data sets related to our collections and services,
licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Australia licence. These releases have included
donating our out of copyright digitised photographs to Wikimedia Commons – freely available for
reuse by anyone and Libraryhack – a mashup and apps competition using data from Australian and
New Zealand libraries.
Our approach is governed by the government’s open data principles, in that our data will be:



Available for open use and free
In accessible formats and easy to find
Released within set standards and accountabilities.
These open data activities and processes will align with existing governance and compliance with
standards, including the protection of private and confidential data (i.e. data restricted for reasons
of privacy, public safety, security, commercial confidentiality or compliance with the law – see
appendix for other related references and resources):



Information Privacy Act 2009
IS18 Information Security
IS33 Information Access and Use



Intellectual Freedom policy
Intellectual Property policy
Risk management policy
State Library of Queensland: 2013-16 Open Data Strategy (version: 30/09/2015)
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1.3 Policy principles
State Library’s is Inspiring Queensland creativity – forever. Our 2015-19 Key Strategies focus on:
1)
2)
3)
4)
Reducing barriers to access
Building capability in the regions
Enabling new enterprise
Future-proofing the digital library
Within this strategic context of for, with and by, State Library applies the following open data
principles:
a) ‘Share first’ for mutual benefit – the data doesn’t have to be ‘perfect’ before it is shared
b) Enabling co-creation with learning and engagement
c) Enhance innovation by service improvement
2.0 Data
State Library is a data-rich agency, with services delivered to external and internal clients.
Increasingly these services are in the form of digital information and platforms, as part of
information-rich value chains between our users and communities of interest/practice.
It is envisaged that access to the data sets provided will have one or more of the following outcomes:



Support greater customer service co-creation and trust in our services based on open data
(e.g. lower access and service costs, and data can be reused and analysed by business,
individuals, researchers or non-government organisations)
Generate open data awareness to enhance skills and usage by developers and the public
(e.g. provide data sets that are easy to find, discover and in accessible formats that enable
its reuse)
Promote engagement on our policies and service development, through staff culture change
focussed on generating mutual customer benefits, sharing and collaboration.
2.1 Types of data: identification
State Library holds the following types of data – in addition to social and cultural benefits, these data
sets also have potential to create economic opportunities for industry. As well as data relating to its
own operations, the State Library also collects information about Queensland public libraries
through a wide ranging annual statistical survey and other community engagement activities.



Collections data
o Data describing and indexing items in State Library (includes catalogue records and
indexes, some data sets include persistent links to digital objects and geotags)
Service data*
o Data about inputs (finances, expenditure, facilities-product-services, human resources)
o Data about outputs (collections, programs and services)
o Data about use (visitation, use of collections, programs and services)
Satisfaction and experience data
o Derived from user registers, surveys and focus groups (strictly subject to privacy
requirements).
* Corporate performance data is published annually as part of Legislative requirements (via the Annual, Service Delivery
Statement (SDS) and Compliance reports in short form format), this data will now be also available in long form format.
State Library of Queensland: 2013-16 Open Data Strategy (version: 30/09/2015)
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State Library’s available data sets consist of:
a) Compiled data: data sets that have been moderated, formatted and treated with defined
compilation methodologies (i.e. data that has been reviewed and evaluated with regard to
accuracy, verification and error removal/adjustments)
b) Unclassified data: minimal compilation or treatment of the data has been undertaken (i.e.
‘raw data’ in its original form).
2.2. Release schedule: prioritisation
The data set release schedule is published in the Queensland Government Open Data Portal. It has
the following information:


Dataset name, data description and type
Target publish date (year-month), Release frequency (e.g. quarterly, annually, demand),
Open licence (e.g. yes, no), Format (e.g. csv) and End of release date (if applicable).
2.3 Publishing data
State Library’s data sets will be published with the following data release process and guided by our
Data release management procedures*:
Data release process
Discover
Refine
Publish
Process
License
1) Discover: assess data completeness and sensitivity, timeliness,
usage costs and quality
2) Process: address privacy, confidentiality, legal, policy and
contractual requirements
3) License: apply relevant licence to enable data to be shared and
reused (e.g. Creative Commons)
4) Publish: consider accessibility, discrimination, open
standards/formats, metadata and documentation
5) Refine: review data usefulness and permanence, engagement
with users/stakeholders and ongoing improvements.
Source: Australian Government publishing public sector information process
In addition to the data sets released through the Open Data Strategy, State Library will continue to
provide information and data in a more visual and user-friendly manner, including releasing data
through various platforms in appropriate format (e.g. Australian Government: data.gov.au).
* State Library’s Data release management procedures describe the mandatory requirements for, and minimum standards
to be met by State Library data custodians when determining how to release data and comply with regulatory
requirements (this includes the government’s Public Sector Intellectual Property principles).
2.4 Engagement
In partnership with the National and State Libraries Australasia (NSLA) network, State Library actively
encourages the development of open practice models and public domain platforms to support the
sharing or reuse of data and information to promote community created content, enable open
access and the convergence of knowledge–experiences–ideas.
As part of ongoing Govhack and Libraryhack community collaboration initiatives, State Library will
continue to encourage the creative, inventive and innovative reuse of library data and digital content
of its collections for anyone to mash up, remix and repurpose and create something new for
research, creative or personal use – or engage new audiences – or develop tools to help with the
creation of new content in the future.
State Library of Queensland: 2013-16 Open Data Strategy (version: 30/09/2015)
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2.4 Future program
State Library’s 2013–16 Open Data Strategy roadmap outlines our priorities and initiatives of
becoming a share-first organisation, using data to co-create new collections, services and programs:
This direction is based on sustainable customer engagement to ensure State Library continues to be
responsive to customer feedback, and our open data approach contributes to improvements of our
services and programs.
State Library of Queensland: 2013-16 Open Data Strategy (version: 30/09/2015)
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3.0 Appendix
3.2 Glossary
The following references and resources are
relevant and valid to this document at the
time of publication:
The following key terms have been sourced or
adapted from QGCIO [unless indicated]:
3.1 Source references & related resources
Legislation
 Financial Accountability Act 2009
 Information Privacy Act 2009
 Libraries Act 1988
 Public Records Act 2002
 Public Service Act 2008
 Right to Information Act 2009
Queensland Government
 Financial and Performance Management
Standard 2009
 Queensland Government Information
Licensing Policy
 Information Commissioner Queensland
Australian Government
 Information licensing information:
Australian Government Open Access and
Licensing framework (AusGOAL)
 AusGOAL Licence Chooser
 Publishing public sector information
process
Access/Licensing
 Creative Commons Licences
Queensland Government
 Queensland Government Chief
Information Office (QGCIO) – Enterprise
Architecture (QGEA):
o Information Standard (IS) 18:
Information Security
o Information Standard 33: Information
Access and Use
o Information Standard 34: Metadata
o Use of copyright materials guideline
(formerly Information Standard 46: Use
of Copyright Materials)
o Licence Review checklist and Licence
Types fact sheet
 Queensland Public Sector Intellectual
Property Principles
 Queensland Public Service Code of
Conduct
Term
Definition
Aggregated
data
Compliance
Data gathered or compiled and
expressed in summary form
Adhering to law requirements,
industry and organisational
standards-codes-principles of
good governance accepted by
community and ethical
standards [AS3806-2006]
Ensuring that only authorised
access to data or information
and protection from
unauthorised disclosure or
intelligible interception
The numbers-letters-pixels
expressed in any form
representing facts-conceptsinstructions in a formalised
(consistent/agreed) manner
suitable for communication,
interpretation or processing by
human or automated means
Data systematically generated
through the process of
providing services/activities
Organisational unit responsible
for data generated, its
maintenance and reporting
Specific or selected data file/s in
data collection/s
Data that does not directly or
specifically identify service
users-recipients-participants
Disclosure of confidential
information as per legislation
requirements
Legislated provisions to manage
and protect confidential or
personal information
Functions-responsibilitiesprocesses-procedures defining
how services/programs are
established-managed-controlled
Contextual information of data
Legally enforceable set of rules
passed as an Act in Parliament
(includes regulations) expressed
as obligation-authorisationpermission or prohibition
Confidentiality
Data
Data collection
Data custodian
Dataset/s
(data set/s)
De-identify
confidential or
personal data
Disclosure
Information
privacy
Governance
Metadata
Legislation
State Library of Queensland: 2013-16 Open Data Strategy (version: 30/09/2015)
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