A week or two ago, I reported that NewsMax, ultra-conservative right-wing news-gathering organization claimed that archivists at the Clinton Presidential Library were deliberately ignoring requests to provide information on the former First Lady’s eight years at the White House.
I wrote to the Clinton Library on behalf of our LISNews readers, and here’s the response I received from the library’s Senior Archivist, Melissa Walker:
“Dear Robin,
The William J. Clinton Presidential Library is part of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). The Library holds Clinton Presidential records that are covered under the provisions of the Presidential Records Act (PRA). The PRA makes all of these records available to Freedom of Information Act requests five years after the end of a Presidential administration, which for Clinton Presidential records began on January 20, 2006. All FOIA requests throughout the NARA system are treated, as the law requires, on a first-in, first-out basis, which means that as requests are received they are filed in queues based on the date, size and complexity of the request.
The Clinton Library has experienced an unprecedented number of FOIA requests filed since January 2006 and currently has received 356 such requests. Once a FOIA request comes to the front of a queue, the responsive records must be reviewed on a page-by-page basis for both Presidential restrictive categories and Freedom of Information Act exemptions. Given the size and number of the FOIA requests we have received to date, all requesters are waiting their turn. Some will have to wait longer than others simply because of the date, size or complexity of their request. We are trying to be equitable to all requesters and process these records as quickly as we can.
Sincerely,
Melissa Walker
Supervisory Archivist
William J. Clinton Presidential Library
National Archives and Records Administration”
Boilerplate, but I was impressed that they responded to my query in a timely fashion.
A week or two ago, I reported that NewsMax, ultra-conservative right-wing news-gathering organization claimed that archivists at the Clinton Presidential Library were deliberately ignoring requests to provide information on the former First Lady’s eight years at the White House.
I wrote to the Clinton Library on behalf of our LISNews readers, and here’s the response I received from the library’s Senior Archivist, Melissa Walker:
“Dear Robin,
The William J. Clinton Presidential Library is part of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). The Library holds Clinton Presidential records that are covered under the provisions of the Presidential Records Act (PRA). The PRA makes all of these records available to Freedom of Information Act requests five years after the end of a Presidential administration, which for Clinton Presidential records began on January 20, 2006. All FOIA requests throughout the NARA system are treated, as the law requires, on a first-in, first-out basis, which means that as requests are received they are filed in queues based on the date, size and complexity of the request.
The Clinton Library has experienced an unprecedented number of FOIA requests filed since January 2006 and currently has received 356 such requests. Once a FOIA request comes to the front of a queue, the responsive records must be reviewed on a page-by-page basis for both Presidential restrictive categories and Freedom of Information Act exemptions. Given the size and number of the FOIA requests we have received to date, all requesters are waiting their turn. Some will have to wait longer than others simply because of the date, size or complexity of their request. We are trying to be equitable to all requesters and process these records as quickly as we can.
Sincerely,
Melissa Walker
Supervisory Archivist
William J. Clinton Presidential Library
National Archives and Records Administration”
Boilerplate, but I was impressed that they responded to my query in a timely fashion.
More or less
More or less what I said (if I recall) that things will be eventually processed. Not that I think anything exciting will be found.
However if I recall from library school (and the class I’ve been taking for the last month to prepare for the bar exam) there are certain timetables and deadlines that must be followed.
The agency has 20 working days to respond to an FOIA requst. This is kind of meaningless as they can extend if for another ten days more or less because they are busy, but that is OK with me.
However the decision and the records need not be sent simultaneously. You can get an ‘OK we will send them to you’ long before they send them. Of course they must send what they said they will.
If it is going to be a long time they have to write you and ask if you want something particular (to limit the request) so that they can process this first. This too seems reasonable to me, as they will work on what you need right now and then what you need after that in due course.
If this does not work out you need to start suing one another. This seldom goes well, especially if you are a regular Joe.
This is the point where I usually make a call and almost always I am able to speak to someone who can address my concers simply by saying ‘we have sent it for review after removing classified stuff, and we expect it any day now’ or ‘we are so overwhelmed we just can’t get to it yet but we will’.
Rarely (once) have I received a response that was simply reading a policy back to me. I said I would call my Senator ZZ and ask him to get the material and provide a synopsis. Three days later the info I wanted showed up im my mailbox. I never got around to callnig my (D) senator.
The FOIA is often a long process. However I have found that the people with whom I have worked to be fair and reasonable. Sure, there may be delay based upon their workload, or perhaps your specific request, but they can often provide you with very accurate, albeit unofficial estimates of when you can expect your information. In fact I’ve almost alway found their estimates to be right on the money.
I’m not a conspiracy theorist, I figure everyone is doing their nine- five and so am I.
It also depends on how much information
is requested by people. Theres a difference between an individual wanting to know what Hilary was doing on a certain date to a news agency wanting copies of everything she did over her husbands 2 terms.
Also do FOIA requests get dealt with totally seperately? By this I mean theres bound to be common questions, are there ‘packs’ of information to answer these requests or is it a case of getting everything out anew each time that request comes in? That would slow things down.
In a way I’m surprised it’s such a small number of requests. Now theres going to be more interest in Hilary but I’d assume anything Bill did in office would still be getting a few requests!