Technology has enabled digitization of both new videos and those that predate the Internet for online streaming. With more videos becoming available on the Internet, websites are developing speech recognition technology that may eventually lead to closed caption searches - a useful tool for canvassing video content.
Read MoreResource for Verifying California Professional Licenses
Before choosing a doctor, accountant, contractor, or other licensed professional, a good resource is the California Department of Consumer Affairs' list of links for license verification.
Read MoreOnline Database of Active Workers’ Compensation Cases (California)
California's Electronic Adjudication Management System (EAMS) public search tool provides access to a searchable database of active workers' compensation cases filed with the Worker's Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB). The EAMS database includes active cases that are in dispute and filed as appeals with the WCAB.
Read MoreScandal Leads to Requirement for More Detailed City Level Salary Reporting Requirements (California)
In response to the recent salary scandal in Bell, California, Controller John Chiang issued an order last week requiring that all California cities and counties report taxpayer-funded salaries in more detail.
Read MoreWhat You See In Public Records Databases Is Not Always All That You Can Get
A recent New York Times article discussed what local restaurant owners think are the shortcomings of the New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's updated database of restaurant inspection scores. Amidst the back and forth between Department of Health and Mental Hygiene staff and the restaurant owners over what was being disclosed is a reminder to public records researchers to always get beyond the data that is presented for searching.
Read MoreCourt Records Often a Good Gateway to Otherwise Private Records
A contract dispute covered recently in The National Law Journal provides another example of how otherwise non-public records can back into the public space through court proceedings.
Read MoreMore on GPO-Transition to Digital Age
Interesting interview with David Walls, now of the GPO and formerly of Yale University, in today's Washington Post.
Read MoreGPO Access
GPO Access is an online collection of federal documents that is administered by the Government Printing Office and funded by the Federal Depository Library Program. The website publishes full-text documents that are produced by the executive, judicial and legislative branches of the federal government.
Read MoreFinancial Reform Bill Establishes New Government Agency with New Set of Public Records Related to Financial Institutions
After passing in the Senate yesterday, a new financial reform bill will soon be signed into law. It outlines various provisions designed to prevent another financial downturn in the United States, including the establishment of a new federal agency called the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
Read MoreThe Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is a non-profit organization working toward establishing permanent online access to digitized historical collections for future generations. It was founded in 1996 in San Francisco and collaborates with institutions such as the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian to build content. Many of the materials found on the Internet Archive were created online or intended for computer applications, making them difficult to come by in conventional libraries.
Read MoreWARN Act Records
Enacted in 1988, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining (WARN) Act mandates that employers meeting certain criteria give advance notice of layoffs and plant closures. Since the WARN Act was first passed, many states have passed their own, state-specific versions of the WARN Act. Recently, many newspapers have taken topline WARN Act data and used it to create searchable databases.
Read MoreObtaining Records from Public Transit Systems
Because public transit is taxpayer funded, these companies are subject to state public records laws. Relevant to companies vying for contracts or riders who want to understand why fares are increasing, these records can provide insight into how public transit is operated.
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