Sunshine Week: It’s a Wrap!

National Archives Sunshine Week program panelists (left to right) Gulam Shakir, NARA; Bobak Talebian, Dept. of Justice; Eric Stein, Dept. of State; Pam Wright, NARA; and Abby Potter, Library of Congress discussing the intersection of artificial intelligence, FOIA and public access on Thursday, March 14. National Archives Photo by Susana Raab. Another Sunshine Week is … Continue reading Sunshine Week: It’s a Wrap!

FOIA Advisory Committee Recommendations Recap

https://giphy.com/gifs/usnationalarchives-archives-archivesgif-naid12065-1alh12SmIXpUoZEQar Research Archive GIF by US National Archives via GIPHY. From National Archives Identifier 12065. The 2022-2024 FOIA Advisory Committee held its eighth public meeting last week, passing its first recommendation of the year that provides agencies with a model determination letter. The Committee voted 18-0 to pass the Modernization Subcommittee's recommendation on a model … Continue reading FOIA Advisory Committee Recommendations Recap

2024 FOIA Technology Showcase: Request for Information Published on SAM.gov

https://giphy.com/gifs/vintage-computer-go-l3vR2SwA3hfH4NtVC Go For It GIF by US National Archives via GIPHY. Planning for the NexGen FOIA Tech Showcase 2.0 is well underway! Capitalizing on the very successful 2022 NexGen FOIA Tech Showcase, the Chief FOIA Officers Council (CFOC) Technology Committee, in conjunction with The Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) at the National Archives and Records Administration … Continue reading 2024 FOIA Technology Showcase: Request for Information Published on SAM.gov

Panel to Discuss Open Government and Artificial Intelligence at Sunshine Week Event

Make plans to join us as the National Archives and Records Administration hosts a panel discussion on “Artificial Intelligence: The Intersection of Public Access and Open Government'' Thursday, March 14, at 1 p.m. ET. This program is being offered during Sunshine Week, an annual nationwide celebration of access to public information. The event will be in … Continue reading Panel to Discuss Open Government and Artificial Intelligence at Sunshine Week Event

FOIA Advisory Committee Meets March 5 – Registration Now Open!

https://giphy.com/gifs/usnationalarchives-vintage-throwback-l0HlLWj5e25b5Ky76 Vintage Type by US National Archives via GIPHY. From National Archives Identifier 94970. The next meeting of the 2022-2024 term of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Advisory Committee is on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET.  The Committee will hear updates from its three subcommittees — Resources, Implementation, … Continue reading FOIA Advisory Committee Meets March 5 – Registration Now Open!

What the FOIA is GLOMAR?!

Images courtesy of Central Intelligence Agency. FOIA can be a challenge for even the most seasoned requester, and jargony language and acronyms make things even more confusing. Case in point: the term “Glomar” is often used to describe a FOIA response where the agency neither confirms nor denies (NCND) the existence of responsive records. Knowing where … Continue reading What the FOIA is GLOMAR?!

OGIS 2023 Holiday Wish List

https://giphy.com/gifs/usnationalarchives-vintage-christmas-3oz8xJVpGNtM2g8Mhy Santa Claus Christmas by US National Archives via GIPHY. From National Archives Identifier 93140. Last year we shared our OGIS Holiday Wish List here on The FOIA Ombudsman. The jolly man from the North Pole did not bring us our wishes, so we are revising it to reflect upon what OGIS has encountered over … Continue reading OGIS 2023 Holiday Wish List

OGIS at the Council on Government Ethics Laws Conference

Last week staff from OGIS attended and presented two sessions at the annual Council on Government Ethics Laws (COGEL) conference, held in Kansas City, MO. Our presentations included a panel on best practices regarding FOIA compliance – OGIS staff highlighted the value of training FOIA professionals to understand the FOIA itself as well as the … Continue reading OGIS at the Council on Government Ethics Laws Conference

Giving Our Thanks this November

https://giphy.com/gifs/usnationalarchives-vintage-weird-irbY9jQpbV4Qg Vintage Dress Up by US National Archives via GIPHY. From National Archives Identifier 234273518. This week many Americans will gather with friends and/or family to celebrate Thanksgiving and give thanks. OGIS is no different as we all plan to share time with our loved ones. With that in mind, we also want to say … Continue reading Giving Our Thanks this November

Chief FOIA Officers Meeting Recap

https://giphy.com/gifs/usnationalarchives-vintage-throwback-3oz8xYn9tp0AbewbhS Welding World War II by US National Archives via GIPHY. From National Archives Identifier 535579. The Chief FOIA Officers Council (CFOC) met on November 9 to discuss a variety of topics of interest to Chief FOIA Officers and FOIA professionals. Deputy Archivist of the United States, Debra Steidel Wall, and Associate Attorney General of the … Continue reading Chief FOIA Officers Meeting Recap