Negotiating for data can seem like a daunting task if you have to face troubles all on your own. Fortunately for reporters, though, there are several places you can turn for help.
Here's just a few of the possibilities: The Reporter's Committee For Freedom of the Press Web site (www.rcfp.org) offers a guide to open records and meeting laws in all 50 states. Each state has slightly different standards that record custodians are held to, and each Sunshine Law is explained in depth on this site.
They also have a section on electronic records (www.refp.org/elecress), which includes the statute from each state specifying access to electronic records.
Further questions about each state's Sunshine Law can be directed to Byron Brown at (703) 807-2100. Rebecca Daugherty can also answer more broad questions about the national Freedom of Information law.
The NICAR listserv archive includes many messages with questions about negotiating for data, with answers posted by fellow list members. There is a good chance you might find some suggestions from another journalist who has faced the same brick wall. Even if you don't subscribe to the list, you can check the archives through the NICAR Web site (www.nicar.org). Click on the phrase at the bottom "Join NICAR-L, a mailing list on CAR techniques." The link to the archives is at the bottom of the page.
IRE's Resource Center (www.ire.org/resourcecenter) is also a helpful place to find tipsheets that take you step-by-step through the negotiating process.
These tipsheets, written by journalists who faced similar hurdles in their negotiations, are archived by subject index.
The Society of Professional Journalists maintains an extensive FOIA Resource Center on its Web site, where you can find a state-by-state listing of FOI contacts, information on the latest Freedom of Information court cases and legislation, and instructions on writing a FOIA.
And if you're getting some strange excuses from public officials, check out the Poynter Institute's Web site.
There, Nora Paul has included her compilation of the top 38 excuses from government agencies, and suggestions for overcoming them. That page is located at www.poynter.org/car/cg_excuse.htm
David Wethe can be reached by e-mail at c742109@showme.missouri.edu