Need to file a public records request? Do a bit of front-end reporting first: Search for what’s publicly accessible, narrow the request, and get to know the government information officer who will be responding to your query.
Two experts in unearthing government documents shared that advice Wednesday, along with tips on how to craft and where to direct public records requests, during a National Press Club Journalism Institute video program on strategies for conducting successful document searches.
The program featured Miranda Spivack, a former Washington Post editor and reporter and a journalism fellow at the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information at the University of Florida, and Mark Walker, FOIA coordinator for the Washington bureau of The New York Times and former training director for Investigative Reporters and Editors.
“If you can get the people who are the gatekeepers to all this to get to know you — even on the phone or maybe they'll FaceTime or Zoom with you — a lot of times they'll just give it to you,” Spivack said.
Once you’ve reached the limit of what you can obtain without an official request, narrow your approach.
“I treat FOIA and public records requests just like any other reporting assignment,” Walker said. “And the thing you want to do is be able to specifically walk that FOIA officer exactly to the records that you're looking for. Tell them the name of the records, where they're located, and what specifically you're looking for, and break them up.”
Key strategies for obtaining public records:
- See if documents you want are already available on government websites or e-reading rooms.
- Get to know the official who is the records gatekeeper.
- Do your homework so you can be specific in your request.
- Ask if search fees can be waived because your reporting is in the public interest.
- Seek expedited processing.
