# Civic Translator

> Civic Translator is an independent civic-information service that turns official public meeting materials into clear, source-linked summaries and visual explainers.

Just the facts. None of the drama.

Civic Translator covers school boards, city councils, county boards, and other public bodies across the United States.

Summaries are created from publicly available government meeting materials using automated and AI-assisted workflows. Official government records remain the authoritative source.

## Editorial Principles

- Official sources. Plain language.
- Facts first. Sources always.
- Civic Translator is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the public bodies it covers.
- Civic Translator does not advocate for political parties, candidates, or policy positions.
- Civic Translator aims to distinguish clearly between proposals, recommendations, discussion, official actions, and future work.
- Civic Translator does not manufacture controversy or sensationalize routine public business.

## How to Interpret Civic Translator Content

Packet summaries describe materials published before a meeting. They should not be interpreted as evidence that a proposal was discussed, approved, adopted, implemented, or otherwise acted upon unless the source materials explicitly document prior action.

Meeting summaries describe what occurred during a meeting when sufficient public records, minutes, transcripts, recordings, or other reliable meeting materials are available.

When a Civic Translator summary and an official government record differ, the official government record is authoritative.

## Core Resources

- [Home](https://civic-translator.org/): Main Civic Translator website.
- [About](https://civic-translator.org/about): Mission, methodology, editorial principles, and project background.
- [Browse](https://civic-translator.org/browse): Browse covered public bodies and meeting summaries.
- [Coverage Map](https://civic-translator.org/governing-bodies-map): Explore public bodies tracked by Civic Translator.
- [Topics](https://civic-translator.org/topics): Browse recurring issues across public meetings.
- [Examples](https://civic-translator.org/examples): Example Civic Translator summaries and visual explainers.
- [How to Use](https://civic-translator.org/how-to-use): Guidance for navigating and interpreting Civic Translator content.

## Transparency and Editorial Policies

- [AI Disclosure](https://civic-translator.org/ai-disclosure): How automated and AI-assisted workflows are used.
- [Corrections Policy](https://civic-translator.org/corrections): How errors and corrections are handled.
- [Disclaimer](https://civic-translator.org/disclaimer): Important limitations and source-authority information.
- [Terms of Use](https://civic-translator.org/terms): Terms governing use of the site.
- [Privacy Policy](https://civic-translator.org/privacy): Privacy information.
- [Copyright](https://civic-translator.org/copyright): Copyright information.
- [Licensing](https://civic-translator.org/licensing): Licensing information.

## Structured Data API

Civic Translator provides machine-readable JSON access to public-body and public-meeting information. Public discovery endpoints do not require an API key. Protected endpoints provide full summary metadata, full-text search, and detailed summary text for authorized API users.

- [OpenAPI Specification](https://civic-translator.org/openapi.json): Canonical OpenAPI 3.1 machine-readable description of the Civic Translator Public API.
- [API Root](https://civic-translator.org/api/v1): API metadata, endpoint discovery, and access information.
- [API Documentation](https://civic-translator.org/api-docs): Human-readable API documentation and examples.
- [API Explorer](https://civic-translator.org/api-docs/explorer): Interactive API request explorer.
- [API Use Cases](https://civic-translator.org/api-docs/use-cases): Examples for journalists, researchers, developers, and civic organizations.
- [Cities JSON](https://civic-translator.org/api/v1/cities): Public city discovery data.
- [Public Bodies JSON](https://civic-translator.org/api/v1/public-bodies): Public-body metadata and jurisdiction information.
- [Summary Previews JSON](https://civic-translator.org/api/v1/summaries-preview): Public summary discovery records without full summary text.
- [Latest Summaries RSS](https://civic-translator.org/feeds/latest.xml): RSS feed of recently published summaries.
- [Iowa School Boards RSS](https://civic-translator.org/feeds/iowa-school-boards.xml): RSS feed for Iowa school board summaries.

Protected API endpoints use the `x-api-key` request header. Full summary text should be retrieved through the documented protected endpoints rather than inferred from preview records.

## Coverage Structure

Civic Translator organizes coverage hierarchically:

- State
- Governing body type
- Public body
- Meeting
- Packet summary or meeting summary
- Topics and cross-meeting comparisons where available

Typical public body types include:

- School boards
- City councils
- County boards
- Boards of supervisors
- Other local public bodies

## Intended Uses

Civic Translator may be useful to:

- Residents following local decisions
- Journalists identifying developments and source material
- Researchers studying local government activity
- Community organizations tracking recurring issues
- Developers using structured public-meeting data

## Source Authority

Civic Translator is an independent informational publisher.

Official government websites, agendas, packets, minutes, notices, recordings, and other records published by the relevant public body remain the authoritative source.

Readers should consult official records when accuracy is critical or when taking action based on meeting information.

## Contact

- [Contact Civic Translator](https://civic-translator.org/contact)
- [Request Coverage](https://civic-translator.org/contact?subject=coverage)