The Technology and Social Change Group within the University of Washington Information School, in collaboration with public library and data-oriented partners, will investigate data needs of public library staff to determine which needs can be met by using open data to support effective program, service, and partnership planning. Our key research question asks: what are the barriers among library staff to using open data for planning and decision-making? The primary output for this project is a plan, driven by input from public libraries, for the design of an open-source open data platform to strengthen public libraries’ understanding of their communities.