Evanston Public Library second in Illinois to win Sunshine Award

The Evanston Public Libray is a fantastic example of a local-government body going above and beyond to promote online transparency for residents.

On Sept. 16, the Evanston Public Library became the second library in the state to receive the Illinois Policy Institute’s Sunshine Award, which measures excellence in online transparency.

The Evanston Public Library has adopted many of the transparency recommendations found in the Institute’s 10-Point Transparency Checklist, and scored a 90.4 percent on the Institute’s checklist.

To be able to participate fully in Democracy, citizens need the ability to contact and interact with their elected representatives and government administrators – that’s why the Illinois Policy Institute regularly audits local-government bodies using the 10-Point Transparency Checklist, which measures access to information such as contracts and budgets.

The Evanston Public Library’s website includes a transparency page where residents can find links to information in the transparency checklist, serving as an excellent example for the other over 300 libraries in Illinois.

Out of nearly 7,000 local government entities in Illinois, only 74 have earned the Institute’s Sunshine Award.

To learn more about how to make local-government agencies, such as school districts, county and municipal governments, more transparent and accountable, contact Mindy Ruckman at mruckman@illinoispolicy.org.