Open Access News

News from the open access movement


Sunday, December 30, 2007

OA database of FOIA documents

GovernmentDocs is an OA database of documents released under the US Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).  (Thanks to Free Government Information.)  From the site:

GovernmentDocs.org was created to advance the values of open and accountable government. This site gives the public an unprecedented level of access to government documents by allowing users to browse, search, and review hundreds of thousands of pages acquired through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and other public disclosure, or “sunshine,” laws.

With the GovernmentDocs.org system, citizen reviewers can engage in the government accountability process like never before. Registered users can review and comment on documents, adding their insights and expertise to the work of the national nonprofit organizations which are partnering on this project.

For more detail, see the November press release.

Comment.  GovernmentDocs is well-implemented.  I expected to see scanned images of the original docs, but I didn't expect to see my search terms highlighted in the images or to see a first-draft OCR of the scan on the same page.  What I like best, though, is the very idea:  sharing these docs with everyone, multiplying the benefits that flow from the trouble of requesting them in the first place.

Update. Also see GovernmentAttic, another OA collection of FOIA documents. (Thanks to Michael Ravnitzky.)