The FOIA Ombuds

OGIS Case Study: A Ray of Light

June 13, 2013 by kmitchell, posted in OGIS Case Study

Four years after making a FOIA request, Tom Tangen was in the dark – portions of his July 2008 FOIA request seeking access to classified information about American rifle grenades used in World War II and the Korean War seemed to have disappeared into a black hole. He’d filed a FOIA request with the National … Continue reading OGIS Case Study: A Ray of Light

FOIA Solutions: Little things mean a lot

June 7, 2013 by cmcguire, posted in FOIAOnline, Ombudsman

The Department of Justice’s Office of Information Policy (OIP) hosted a Freedom of Information Act Administrative Forum on June 5, 2013, giving FOIA professionals – particularly FOIA Public Liaisons – a chance to discuss the issues they face. As with many discussions in this budget climate, the conversation inevitably turned to how to do more … Continue reading FOIA Solutions: Little things mean a lot

Forecast: Innovation Ahead

May 29, 2013 by cmcguire, posted in Government information, innovation, Open Government

Did you check the forecast this morning to see if you should grab an umbrella before you headed out the door? If so, did you know that information collected and distributed by the government helped you to stay dry? Many familiar technologies are built using government data sets, including the National Digital Forecast Database and … Continue reading Forecast: Innovation Ahead

Celebrating our Successes

May 16, 2013 by cmcguire, posted in OGIS events

On May 13, 2013 the American Society of Access Professionals (ASAP) presented OGIS Director Miriam Nisbet with the President’s Award for Distinguished Public Service, ASAP’s highest honor. ASAP also gave the Director’s Award for Superior Public Service to the National Archives’ own Public Interest Declassification Board. Congratulations, Miriam and PIDB -- we are so proud … Continue reading Celebrating our Successes

The Business of Search

May 8, 2013 by cmcguire, posted in definitions and concepts, Ombudsman, Records Management

Composing a successful FOIA request can be tricky. Agencies are responsible for a mind-boggling amount of information, and finding a record amid years and years of accumulated documents can feel like searching for the proverbial needle in the haystack (though some requesters and agency professionals would probably argue that the haystack searcher’s task is the … Continue reading The Business of Search

Untangling Fees

May 3, 2013 by kmitchell, posted in definitions and concepts, Fees, OGIS events

FOIA fees can quickly snarl into knots for agency FOIA professionals and requesters alike. Untangling those knots takes work, but one of the best tools for the task is communication. That’s the central theme that emerged from a recent FOIA Requester Roundtable, sponsored by OGIS and the Office of Information Policy (OIP), Department of Justice … Continue reading Untangling Fees

Upcoming Training Opportunity for FOIA Professionals

April 18, 2013 by cmcguire, posted in OGIS events, Training

Are you a FOIA professional who is interested in learning more about how to resolve disputes that may arise in the FOIA process? If so, please join OGIS for Dispute Resolution Training for FOIA Professionals on Wednesday, May 1. This free all-day session (9:00 a.m. - 4 p.m.) will be held at the main Archives … Continue reading Upcoming Training Opportunity for FOIA Professionals

White House Assesses FOIA Commitments

April 17, 2013 by US National Archives, posted in Open Government

In its March 29 self-assessment of the National Action Plan, the White House evaluated its progress on the two FOIA-related components of that plan: professionalizing FOIA administration and harnessing the power of technology. During Sunshine Week 2012, the Office of Personnel Management announced the creation of the Government Information Series. This specialized field within … Continue reading White House Assesses FOIA Commitments

Upcoming Requester Roundtable: Fees and Fee Waivers

April 11, 2013 by cmcguire, posted in Fees, OGIS events, Ombudsman

The issue of fees can trip up even the most experienced requester and FOIA professional. We all know that it is a tricky issue, but might there be a better way? In our 2013 recommendations, we laid out our plan to discuss the issue of fees and fee waivers with the requester and agency communities; … Continue reading Upcoming Requester Roundtable: Fees and Fee Waivers

FOIA: Spread the Word!

April 3, 2013 by cmcguire, posted in FOIA in the news, Ombudsman, Open Government, Records Management, Sunshine Week 2013

FOIA is everyone’s responsibility. This is a common refrain for FOIA processors and records managers, but we have observed that it can be a challenge to impress upon those outside the FOIA department that FOIA is their job, too. For those who don’t live and breathe FOIA, having a cumbersome, time-sensitive project like a FOIA … Continue reading FOIA: Spread the Word!