Information Technology in Local Government: A Practical Guide for Managers.

• Author: Augustsan, Alan
• Position: Review

Schulz, Jerome A.

Washington, D.C.: International City/County Management Association (214 pp)

Reviewed by Alan Augustsan, Policy Analyst and Consultant, GFOA Research and Consulting Center, Chicago, Illinois.

Improving the information and communications infrastructure of local governments remains a hard sell, and with little wonder. A significant number of ambitious public-sector information technology (IT) projects fail, largely due to inadequacy of resources, unrealistic expectations, and the absence of solid support from the upper echelon. These are the findings of GFOA's Research and Consulting Center in its daily work with state and local public agencies nationwide. Yet the greater risk remains to do nothing in the Information Age. Today's consumer is quite accustomed to obtaining everything from the weekly groceries to an MBA online. Being forced to take a whole day off work to stand in line for a driver's license or spending an entire lunch hour on hold trying to find out where and how to register to vote is an unwelcome step backward in time. Rather than expressing displeasure, the knowledgeable citizen-consumer may be just as likely to exit for greener pastures.

Information Technology in Local Government seeks to address the whole range of concerns of public resource planners contemplating IT, not just procurement and implementation strategy but also the practical applications of public-sector information systems. The author mines the current wealth of research to answer three fundamental questions:

* Why and how should a public agency undertake the deployment and use of a modern integrated information system?

* What are the tools and skills needed for a successful move to information technology?

* What uses exist for technology beyond the storage of records, and where can one see some examples of communities using new technology to its fullest potential?

While the book is geared primarily towards smaller local governments, it may still be of interest to professionals at the state level or in the very largest cities. The first part of the book begins with appropriate background information on social as well as technological trends driving the move toward a more automated government. The author then moves into the establishment of scope in IT/IS planning. This includes the creation and recruitment of an information services department, the establishment of training and maintenance responsibilities, and even the practices for...