The Art of Access: Strategies for Acquiring Public Records 1st Edition

The book "The Art of Access" by David Cuillier and Charles N. Davis explains in detail the methods the average person can use to gain access to public documents that are related to government or tax-funded organizations or entities. From the start, the authors make clear that requesting and being able to have full access to such documents is an American right that should not be overlooked. Further, they explain that requesting and reading public documents in physical or digital form has benefits for everyone in society, not just journalists. Interestingly, far more businesses request public records than journalists, which may say something about the state of journalism.If you are intrigued with a certain house that's for sale, you can request public records to learn what the crime rate is in its neighborhood or if any sex offenders live nearby. If you want information about your deceased grandpa, you can request an FBI file on him, if one exists. You can request an FBI file and public records on yourself. Cuillier and Davis convey numerous other examples of how requesting public documents can "help your life in ways that go far beyond work."Of course, public documents are crucial for journalists, too. Utilizing them can spur the writing of stories that a journalist's editor may not even consider. Accessing public records is an honest way for journalists to make sure public officials are being honest themselves in all realms of their governmental work. "The Art of Access" contains examples of intuitive journalists who used public records to write stories that brought to light dishonest practices by public officials. Requesting documents involves doing your homework, being diligent and sometimes playing hardball, but getting them can be attained.The authors also emphasize the need for journalists to be empathetic toward record-keeping employees who work in a bureaucratic culture, and to make sure that documents-based stories have a human element so that the material isn't too dry.To supplement their information, Cuillier and Davis provide a plethora of websites people can visit to read Pulitzer Prize-winning stories, access helpful records for articles, learn about Freedom of Information strategies, discover legal resources and much more.

The book is good as far as it goes, but it includes nothing but a mention of The Open Government Act of 2007. The Open Government Act of 2007 is very important because it includes penalties for agencies that take longer than 20 days to respond to FOIA requests.

required textbook for a winter class, but it has a lot of interesting information

I did not realize all the records regular citizens can access until I read this book. "The Art of Access" gave me a lot of good ideas I can use in future reports as a journalist/writer.

A must read for all reporters. You want the docs, but your paper can't always threaten to sue the city. What do you do? Read this book.

This book has helped me access public documents as a journalist and personally. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to get at the truth.

It was very cheap and exactly what I needed.

Thank you.