How to Get Started with NotebookLM for Local Government Professionals
Access powerful AI-driven insights from council documents with NotebookLM, Google's free tool that lets you instantly query public documents with source-linked answers. Perfect for navigating complex local government information.
Relevant Public Notebooks for Local Government
We've prepared several notebooks containing key local government documents that you can start exploring immediately:
Vic Metro Council and Action Plans
Access strategic plans and initiatives for Victorian metropolitan councils covering 2025-2029, with detailed action items and implementation timelines.
Vic Metro Budgets and Financial Plans
Review comprehensive financial planning documents for Victorian metropolitan councils, including budgets and financial forecasts for 2025-2029.
Local Government Acts & Regulations (VIC)
Outlines the framework governing local councils in Victoria, primarily the Local Government Act 2020 and its related regulations.
Aged Care Act 2024 and Rules
Explore the latest legislation and regulations governing aged care services and facilities in Australia.
Note: Some councils haven't released their new plans publicly yet. We're monitoring for updates and will continue adding to the notebooks as they become available.
What is NotebookLM?
NotebookLM is a free Google tool that transforms how local government employees can interact with complex documents. It allows you to upload documents and instantly query them with AI, providing source-linked answers that maintain accuracy and transparency.
We've chosen NotebookLM for projects with public documents because it's fast, intuitive, and ideal for sharing complex information in a way that's easy to search and explore. Perfect for navigating public council documents, legislation, and policy papers.
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Getting Started with NotebookLM
1
Sign in with Google
To use NotebookLM, you'll need to sign in with a Gmail account. NotebookLM is a Google product and currently only supports Gmail logins.
2
Open a Notebook
Click on any of the notebook links provided to access pre-loaded local government documents. The left-hand panel will show you all the source documents included in the notebook.
3
Ask Questions
Use the middle panel to ask specific questions about the documents. The AI will reference only the sources you've selected to provide accurate, source-linked answers.
Building with NotebookLM
Follow these steps to start building and sharing notebooks with NotebookLM:
1. Sign In
Visit notebooklm.google.com and sign in with your Google account.
2. Create a New Notebook
Click the "Create new notebook" button and give your notebook a clear, descriptive name.
3. Add Sources
Select "Add sources" to upload up to 50 files like PDFs, Google Docs, websites, or YouTube videos. NotebookLM will generate an initial summary and suggested questions.
Next Steps
1
Ask Questions
Use the Chat panel to ask natural language questions about your content. NotebookLM will provide answers grounded in your sources.
2
Generate Audio
Go to the Studio or Audio overview and click "Generate" to create an AI-hosted podcast-style summary of your material.
3
Explore Formats
Ask NotebookLM to produce structured outputs like FAQs, study guides, timelines, and briefing documents.
4
Save and Share
Pin important notes, highlight key excerpts, and use the Share button to collaborate with others.
How to Use NotebookLM Effectively
Toggle Source Documents
In the left-hand panel, you can toggle specific documents on or off to control which ones the AI draws from. This helps you focus your queries on the most relevant information.
Ask Specific Questions
Use the middle panel to ask targeted questions about budgets, policies, or regulations. The more specific your question, the more precise the answer will be.
Review Source Citations
Check the citations provided with each answer to verify the information and explore the original context in the source documents.
Understanding Public Notebooks
The notebooks we've shared are public notebooks, which means anyone with the link can view them. This makes them ideal for collaborative work across different council departments or for sharing information with stakeholders.
However, public notebooks are view-only, which means viewers cannot make changes to the notebooks. You won't be able to add, remove, or update sources, and features like mind maps, timelines, or podcasts are not available to viewers.
Privacy and Data Security
Your chat history
Your chats stay private. Other users who access the notebook cannot see your chat history, questions, or conversations.
Your queries and results
Your questions and outputs are tied to your account only. Not even the notebook owner or administrator can see the queries you run or the responses you receive.
Practical Applications for Local Government
Policy Research
Quickly find specific clauses in council policies or compare approaches across different councils' strategic plans.
Budget Analysis
Extract and compare financial data across years or between different council areas to inform decision-making.
Compliance Checking
Verify if council actions align with legislation by quickly searching through relevant acts and regulations.
Report Preparation
Gather accurate, cited information from multiple documents to include in council reports and briefings.
Learn More
If you're new to NotebookLM, we recommend watching the tutorial that will walk you through all the features and capabilities of the platform.
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Spotted an issue or want to connect?
Reach out on LinkedIn for feedback, queries, or to say hello. Lisa Ippolito - Whitehorse City Council