Want to join us in person for the Wednesday March 20, 2019, meeting of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Advisory Committee? Midnight Sunday March 17, 2019—St. Patrick’s Day—is the deadline for registering to attend the meeting, to be held from 10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. EDT in the William G. McGowan Theater at the … Continue reading Upcoming FOIA Advisory Committee Meeting–Join Us!
This year—2019—we celebrate 10 years as the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Ombudsman. Anniversaries have a way of sparking reflection on the past, present and future—the theme of our 2019 Report for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018. FY 2018 was our busiest yet. Among our activities, we Handled 4,681 requests for assistance—from FOIA requesters and agencies … Continue reading OGIS Fiscal Year 2018 Report Now Available
If you would like to attend OGIS’s Sunshine Week event in person, there is still time to register! OGIS will celebrate Sunshine Week 2019 on Monday, March 11 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the National Archives’ William G. McGowan Theater. We have planned an exciting program that will include a conversation between David … Continue reading It’s Not Too Late to Register: Sunshine Week 2019!
An academic snapshot of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) administration will be the focus of the next FOIA Advisory Committee meeting on March 20, 2019, in the William G. McGowan Theater at the National Archives in Washington, DC. The meeting, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., is the third of the 2018-2020 term of the … Continue reading Mark Your Calendars: Wednesday, March 20, 2019 FOIA Advisory Committee Meeting
Although Washington, DC, is facing the latest round of winter weather, we at OGIS are excited to announce our Sunshine Week 2019 event. Sunshine Week is an annual nationwide celebration of access to public information. Since the American Society of News Editors (ASNE) launched the initiative more than a decade ago, journalists, librarians, concerned citizens, civil … Continue reading Save the Date: Sunshine Week 2019!
The FOIA process, like any relationship, depends on good communications. In the spirit of the season, OGIS offers Valentines greetings to FOIA stakeholders who demonstrate good communication skills every day. We love all hardworking FOIA professionals, but particularly those who pick up the phone to talk to requesters. While making a call is an investment … Continue reading Will You Be Our (FOIA) Valentine?
Congress has temporarily restored funding of appropriated activities, and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) resumed normal operations as of January 28, 2019. We at OGIS returned to our offices this week to find more than 450 requests for assistance that accumulated during the shutdown. We have devoted our time since returning to the … Continue reading Catching up with OGIS
The Council on Governmental Ethics Laws (COGEL) held its 40th annual conference earlier this month in Philadelphia, PA. COGEL is the preeminent organization of government ethics administrators, and its members work in the fields of governmental ethics, freedom of information (FOI), elections, lobbying and campaign finance. Members include governmental entities (state, local, and foreign) educational … Continue reading Freedom (of Information) Rings at COGEL 2018
Are you looking for a unique training opportunity for your agency’s FOIA staff, one that will improve communications within your FOIA program and with FOIA requesters? If so, now is a great time to schedule 2019 Dispute Resolution Training for FOIA Professionals for your agency. OGIS offers our training program twice yearly to any interested … Continue reading Dispute Resolution Training for Agencies
In November 2015, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) adopted a resolution declaring September 28th of every year as International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI). “The universal right to information is essential for societies to function democratically and for the well-being of each individual,” UNESCO wrote in its proclamation. “Freedom of … Continue reading International Day for Universal Access to Information 2018
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