Open Data BR FAQs

I’m a Baton Rouge resident or business owner. Why does this site exist, and how will it benefit me?

Open Data BR is part of a larger effort to improve coordination among City-Parish departments and help departments work more efficiently; better engage with residents or businesses; encourage economic development and business innovation; and support a more effective, responsive, transparent and connected City-Parish government.

For more information on the background and benefits of Open Data BR, please visit “What is Open Data BR?” section of this site.

How can I use this data?

The data hosted on Open Data BR is free to access and available for public consumption. In short, you can use and consume this data however you wish.

Within each dataset, the site allows you to filter and sort data, as well as create visualizations such as graphs or maps that can then be embedded within your own website. You can also download or export the data sets into static data file formats such as PDF, CSV, XLS, and more, or write programs/applications to access data via the data set’s unique API.

For more information on how to access these APIs, please continue reading through these FAQs or visit the “Developers” section of the Open Data BR site.

How frequently is the data updated?

The update/refresh cycles for data included within this site vary based on when new data becomes available. Some datasets, such as employee salary information, are updated on an annual basis, while others may be updated weekly, monthly, quarterly or at some other interval.

For information about the refresh cycle for data published to this site, as well as the most recent date a dataset was updated, click “About” within each dataset.

Can I embed data or visualizations within my own site?

Yes! Simply click “embed” within the data set or visualization you want to embed on your site. From there, you can customize the size of the module and copy/paste the corresponding code into the HTML for your site.

Who can I contact if I have questions about how to use the site?

Please email us at opendata@brgov.com. From there, a member of our Open Data BR team will respond as soon as possible.

Who can I contact if I have questions about a particular dataset?

Please email us at opendata@brgov.com. We ask that you be as specific as possible with your question or request so that we can provide you with a quick and accurate response.

Alternatively, you can utilize the “Contact Dataset Owner” link that is accessible as part of the “About” tab for each dataset. From there, the owner or moderator of that particular dataset will respond as soon as possible. Please note, in order to utilize this function, you will be required to sign up for an account with Open Data BR. Registration is free and accessible at the top right of each page on the Open Data BR site.

How do I request a dataset?

If you notice a dataset that is not included on this site and feel it would be of public benefit to include, email us at opendata@brgov.com.

As we continue to refine our data management processes and add datasets to the site, please note that some data will be easier to access or publish, while other data may require additional conversions or system upgrades in order to connect to this site. In addition, data that is published must go through an internal review process to ensure compliance with City-Parish policies and legal authorities.

Please check back often, as data is constantly being added to this site.

I’m looking to develop an application that uses data hosted on Open Data BR. How do I connect with the APIs for these data sets? Is there a way to submit an application I’ve developed for inclusion on this site?

We strongly encourage developers to access data included on this site and to be innovative in thinking how best to leverage City-Parish data in the development of applications or other tools. Every dataset included on this site has an API, and we have included a wealth of information on how to access those APIs.

For more information, please visit the “Developers” section of this site.

I’ve developed an application that uses data hosted on Open Data BR. Is there a way to submit an application I’ve developed for inclusion on this site?

If you have developed an application that you would like us to consider featuring or including on this site, please utilize the “Submit an App” form located within the “Developers” section of this site. From there, our team will review your submission and be in touch with any questions.

Please note that the submission of an application does not guarantee it will be included on this site. If your application submission is rejected, we will notify you with a detailed rationale for why it cannot be featured or included on this site at this time.

What is Socrata, and how is it involved in the Open Data BR initiative?

Socrata is a leader in powering the technical infrastructure of open data platforms across the world. While the City-Parish Department of Information Services maintains the Open Data BR site as well as all content and data included on it, the Socrata platform helps to facilitate public access to this data by providing data catalog organization and meta data management, data syncing tools and support mechanisms for accessing dataset APIs.

Like Baton Rouge, a number of states, counties and municipalities across the United States have partnered with Socrata to provide public users with efficient and user-friendly connections to public sector data. For more information on how Socrata is supporting similar open data efforts in other communities, please visit www.socrata.com/case-studies.