The Paperless Council

This report examines the “paperless council,” defined as a council that uses information technology (IT) to facilitate and enrich the process of preparing information for council meetings and making the information available to everyone involved. The report describes various approaches that local governments have taken (i.e., various models they have chosen) after considering such factors as the size, availability, and sophistication of the IT infrastructure and staffing, and the interest expressed by council members, the manager, the staff, or the public. The report also discusses the kinds and amounts of investment needed, ways of promoting the paperless council, evaluation, and special issues (e.g., security and equity).