A recent New York Times article describes the formidable process of transferring the Bush Administration's records over to the National Archives, and the unprecedented difficulty presented by how much of these records are now electronic. Owing largely to e-mail, "the electronic record of the Bush years about 50 times as large as that left by the Clinton White House in 2001, archives officials estimate." The Times provides some interesting insights into the logistics involved, concerns about the completeness of White House provided records, and the implications for future researchers. Read the full article here.
President Obama Orders Increased Disclosure Under the Freedom of Information Act
On his first full day in office, President Barack Obama ordered an increase in government transparency by expanding the interpretation of the Freedom of Information Act. To obtain many types of public records, a written request must be submitted to the controlling agency. However, rules for granting or restricting access to the requested record will now resemble those in place before the Bush administration.
Read MoreChoosing a Realtor
Buying a house is a daunting project, so choosing a qualified realtor is an important step in the process. With the housing market declining, realtors may be more likely to take advantage of naïve house-hunters. Word of mouth is a good way to begin the process of finding a reliable realtor, but following up with public records and online information is necessary.
Read MoreAircraft Registration and Flight Tracking
The web site FlightAware releases information about aircraft whereabouts or registration status, eliminating the need for lengthy freedom of information requests through the Federal Aviation Administration.
Read MoreResearching Foreign Lobbying Activity
In an increasingly interconnected world, there is a premium on understanding how foreign governments and businesses work to influence U.S. policy and public opinion. Read here to learn about which public records can be used to learn about foreign lobbying.
Read MoreChoosing a Neighborhood
Buying a house is a big decision financially and thus many different variables must be taken into consideration to ensure a wise choice. Fortunately, many resources for looking into your prospective neighborhood are readily available online and in public records.
Read MoreObtaining Your Travel Record Through FOIA
Budget Travel blogger Sam O’Neil recently demonstrated how you can obtain your own foreign travel record with a simple FOIA request.
Read MoreThe Role of Public Records in the Political Nomination and Confirmation Process
In the coming weeks and months, individuals will be nominated by the Obama White House to serve in various federal agencies and judicial positions. Here we provide an overview of the federal nomination and confirmation process and the role that public records play in the success or failure of nominees.
Read MorePatent Applications in the Real World
Earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal published an article discussing how patent research can be used to disclose potential conflicts of interest.
Read MoreFinding A Doctor’s Potential Conflicts of Interest
Finding out if your doctor or the other trial team’s expert maintains financial ties to drug makers is about to become a lot easier. Soon, all it may take is a simple website search.
Read MoreUsing Archives
When records are retired they are usually sent to an off site archive for storage. Archival research is an important part of any complete research plan and can lead to important data.
Read MoreFinding Racially Restrictive Covenants
Last week, The New York Times ran a Jackie Calmes article discussing the vetting questionnaire being distributed by the Office of the President-Elect. Answers provided to many of the 63 questions can be verified using public records. This includes Question 28, which concerns restrictive covenants.
Read More