HARRISBURG -- State Treasurer Robin L. Wiessmann yesterday showed off a new Web site that features a database of government contracts the public can access.

She said the state's new right-to-know law required creation of the database, known as the Pennsylvania Contracts e-Library.

The open records law, signed in February, increases public access to government records.

Most of the law won't take effect until January, but the e-Library was launched at the beginning of the month on the treasury's Web site, www.treasurypa.org.

"The more transparent we are, the more accountable we become," Ms. Wiessmann said. "The public needs and deserves to know how operations are being conducted."

She said "virtually all" government departments are required to post their contracts with private companies in the database. This includes legislative, executive and judicial departments. Lawmakers granted a few exemptions to certain departments, like the Department of Justice, that wanted to have their own separate databases.

Information in the contracts may be blacked out if it contains personal details, like Social Security numbers, or "things that aren't germane," Ms. Wiessmann said. The right-to-know law includes a list of about 30 instances in which information can be blacked out.

If individuals feel public information is withheld improperly, they can appeal to the state Office of Open Records.

The e-Library has about 1,500 contracts posted now, but the database is expected to grow, said Susan Schwab, deputy treasurer for administration. Contracts from before July 1 will not be posted, but all future contracts will be, she said.

"It's a very challenging process to go back[ward]," Ms. Wiessmann said, so "the decision was made to do it on a forward-going basis."

A reform activist praised the Web site as a step toward more government accountability in the state.

"This goes toward the goal of having everything out in the open for taxpayers to see," said Gene Stilp of Taxpayers and Ratepayers United.