Your Right to Know: A Guide to Freedom of Information Act

Archivists from the Barack Obama Presidential Library will offer an extensive overview of how you can gain access to government records through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
Archivists from the Barack Obama Presidential Library will deliver an extensive public overview of how citizens can successfully access government records through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. This session introduces the legal foundations of FOIA and the Presidential Records Act (PRA), clearly defining what information can be requested, distinguishing between public federal records and personal collections and understanding processing times. Participants will gain practical insights into the complete FOIA lifecycle - moving step-by-step from drafting targeted, descriptive requests to navigating internal agency searches and document releases. Ultimately, attendees will walk away from actionable strategies to confidentially research and trace the 'paper trail' of federal history on their own.