From access to reuse, from data to document: a conceptual vision of public sector information

This article analyzes the changes in information management by the public sector. Traditionally, information was accumulated for official use only but now it is generated for offering to the public. This transformation is the result of information technology and communications, whose use has changed the relationship between governmental institutions and citizens. These are now demanding information and Government has become one of their best suppliers. Similarly, the possibility of providing open public data converts this information into an abundant and free asset. Such information versatility involves a modification of the traditional definition of document and draws a clear distinction between the concepts of documentation and information.