using technology to open accessusing technology to open access to

Using Technology to Open AccessUsing Technology to Open Accessto the Legislative Process

Presentation by Barry LaGraveMinnesota House of Representatives, Public Information Services

2009 Professional Development SeminarLegislative Research Librarians Staff SectionOctober 16, 2009St. Paul, Minnesota

House Public Information ServicesA nonpartisan department of the

Minnesota House of RepresentativesMinnesota House of Representatives

f d h- Information and Outreach- PhotographyPhotography

- PublicationsT l i i- Television

Minnesota House of RepresentativesPublic Information Services

Services we provide:pSession Weekly –newsmagazine providing a nonpartisan summary of each

Gavel-to-gavel live TV coverage –

nonpartisan summary of each week's events during session

Session Daily –

all House floor sessions, and select committee hearings and press conferences

online news service updated during session and when news from the House warrants

Video and audio copies –DVDs and audio CDs

New Laws –online summaries of all new laws, vetoed bills and some

l th t did t

House meeting schedules

P lproposals that did not pass

Legislative directories

Press releases

Photo services –


Members/legislative activities

Session Weekly:y

Coming up on 27th year

Twenty-four pages; published Thursdays during sessiony g

Mailed on Fridays; listervmessage Friday morningmessage Friday morning

The HTML version (with links to bills reports memberto bills, reports, member pages, etc… ) and the PDF version go online Thursday evenings


evenings

Session Weekly:y

Print Subscribers

25000(1998 – 2009)

15000

20000

10000

0

5000


1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Session Weekly:y

Online

250

Avg. Daily Unique Visitors (2008-2009)

150

200

50

100

0

50


Session Daily:y

Short summaries of committee action (w/linksto bills, reports, memberpages video etc )pages, video, etc… )

Posted online throughoutth dthe day

Twittered when putonline

E-mail to listserv late in the day


E mail to listserv late in the day

Session Daily:ySession Daily

Listserv Subscribers

3500

4000

Listserv Subscribers

2000

2500

3000

1000

1500

2000

0

500

2006 2007 2008 2009


2006 2007 2008 2009

Session Daily:ySession Daily Articles

Avg. Daily Unique Visitors

500

600g y q

300

400

100

200

0

100


Readers’ Internet Service (2008 survey)

Session Weekly Session Daily

Dial-upMobile device

Dial-Up17%

None34%

Dial up10%Library or

Internet cafe4%

device8%

No Answer5%

High-Speed42%Library or

Internet Cafe2%

5%

High-speed78%


New Laws:

2005: We changed gfrom PDF version toHTML version

Searchable by topicarea or keyword


TV Coverage:g

513 production hoursduring 2009 sessionLive WMPlayer streamLive hits in:Live hits in:

CY2007 = 80,349CY2008 = 110,228CY2009 = 266 845CY2009 = 266,845

(Last day of session = 9,612 hits)

Database-drivenonline scheduleonline schedule


TV Coverage:g

513 production hoursduring 2009 sessionLive WMPlayer streamLive hits in:Live hits in:

CY2007 = 80,349CY2008 = 110,228CY2009 = 266 845CY2009 = 266,845

(Last day of session = 9,612 hits)

Database-drivenonline scheduleonline scheduleDynamic links on schedule and in WMPlayer windowVideo archives


Video archives

Public Information Services’ Twitter page


Twitter timeline:

Late December 2008“Soft roll-out” / no public notification

J 6 A il 13Jan. 6-April 13Internal testing of processes

April 14Public notification

Today:643 Followers338 Tweets


Contact us:House Public Information ServicesHouse Public Information Services

651-296-2146800-657-3550

175 State Office Buildingg100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

St Paul MN 55155 1298St. Paul, MN 55155-1298http://twitter.com/MNHouseInfo


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