There is a FREE publication put out by the U. S. Government Printing Office called "A Citizens Guide to Using The Fredom Of Information Act and The Privacy Act of 1974 to Request Government Records/Documents" - all you have to do is request one sent to you - it tells what agencies/records you can obtain and also sample letters you can just write - and how to address the envelope to insure that the FOIA Officer of any agency gets the request - the waiting period will vary as to what records you want and they have the option to charge you for copying, you can request the fee be waived - the "United States Government Manual" is also sold by the Superintendent of Documents of the U. S. Government Printing Office - this tells you which governmental office you go to for what records and the FOIA Officer of that agency - every library should have this in their library and you would not have to purchase one - there is NO central government records office that servoces FOIA requests. delilah evans At 19:12 11/28/02 -0700, [email protected] wrote: >This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. > >Classification: Query > >Message Board URL: > >http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/pR.2ADE/853 > >Message Board Post: > > Hi fellow genealogists! I’m a fanatic genealogist just like you are. This is kind >of long, but well worth reading! I have found a way to use FOIA to request records that >actually results in getting records! In my every day professional work I use the FOIA >(Freedom of Information Act) to acquire records from all areas. The FOIA is a tool that >is available to everyone. The request is free but it can be very confusing. You have >to know where to send it, you have to have the right request form, a properly worded >letter, you have to know what type of information they need to get you what you are >looking for. You cannot just send in a generic "find this" request. Using the proper >request on the proper form with a properly worded letter you will get the documentation >you are seeking. I received 84 pages in the first probate request, two weeks later, an >additional 124 pages. All stuff they copied from microfiche. At $ .10 per page. Some >of these records went back to 1838! I will send you the forms (both State and Federal), >with directions, the request letter, what you need to send them in terms of specifics, if >you have them, or if not, some ideas on where and how to find them. I have charted >each State’s statutes and codes that you will need to reformat the request form for the >State you are sending the request to. For those of us who have been unable to get to >an out-of-town location or to afford a researcher it's great. My email is >[email protected] or [email protected] Don’t use the >email this posting was sent from. While I have received hundreds of emails from >people thanking me for this information, one or two bad apples have managed to keep >having my email deactivated. So try to contact me via email if you have questions, but >if it doesn’t work, please know that I am still here and you can contact me at the >snailmail address below or, hopefully, the two email addresses listed above. I am >really sorry for this inconvenience. In fact, if you are interested in receiving this >information, just follow the directions below. > > I will be glad to help anyone with any additional information or reformatting the >forms for other states, other data requests, etc. Any other more involved requests for >help, I will send a form. I am requesting $6.58 for paper, copying, staples, gas, large >envelope and postage costs. I am not doing this to make money. This package of >information is 22 pages -- and I had no idea this would be responded to in such huge >numbers (!!). I wish these darn board administrators understood that! Anyway, if >you’re interested, send $6.58 in cash or check [Kathy Lawler] to Genealogy >Princess, 20757 Camden Square, #210, Lathrup Village, MI 48076 or use my Paypal >[checking] for $7.00 to [email protected] Either way, don’t forget >your address!! I will send you the information the very day I receive your address and >funds. Lastly, additional information, new ways I can come up with to use FOIA will be >sent to you free of charge and I’ll also be happy to answer any questions you may >have. Thanks! Kathleen Lawler > > > > >==== ALAUTAUG Mailing List ==== >Replies to posting are NOT automatically routed to the list. >Use the "Reply All" or similar features of your e-mail software to reply to the entire list. > >