Query: Role of US public libraries as Freedom of Information Act entry points?

Received by email. Permission to reprint from Prof. Dr. Herbert Burkert: ------------------------------------------------------

I would be very happy if you could give me some information (or point me to a source) where I might find more information about the following issue:

Switzerland's (federal) Freedom of Information Act will come into force on July 1st this year. I am in the process of writing something about the act and its possible relevance to the library community in Switzerland (beyond that - under some conditions - they might become the object of an information request themselves).

Since my earliest visits to the United States (and to Canada) in the late 1970s I have been impressed by the quality and standing of public libraries in the US as a resource point for local communities. I vaguely remember that in these pre-Internet days libraries also provided information on how to use the (federal) Freedom of Information Act (and similar regulations on the local and state level)and even kept selected records from various agencies at display. This was all in the pre-Internet years.

Are you aware of any explicit policies in place in the US today (no matter on which level) which make ("ordinary") public libraries (not the depository libraries)  "entry points" for freedom of information requests (including help for browsing on government websites for information)?

Or all these observations but memories tinted by social romanticism?

Thank you very much for your kind help
Herbert Burkert


Prof.Dr.Herbert Burkert

www.herbert-burkert.net

 

Comments

[Mary]

I'm not aware of libraries serving as a specific entry point, beyond their general role helping users find out about anything at all. Thus, libraries would direct folks to print and other resources to learn how to file state and federal FOIA requests. As for being subject to inquiries, here's a memo from Jenner and Block in 1999 to the American Library Association: http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/ifissues/issuesrelatedlinks/openrecordsrequests.htm