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New FOIA Guide & Privacy Act Overview to Be Published in November

Continuing with its Freedom of Information Act reference volume's biennial publication cycle, the Office of Information and Privacy will publish the next edition of the Department of Justice's Freedom of Information Act Guide & Privacy Act Overview in November of this year. This will be the twenty-first edition of the "FOIA Guide" prepared by the Office of Information and Privacy.

The Freedom of Information Act Guide & Privacy Act Overview contains the "Justice Department Guide to the Freedom of Information Act," a detailed discussion of the FOIA's substantive and procedural aspects that has become the primary FOIA reference volume; the "Privacy Act Overview," an overview discussion of the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 that is prepared by OIP in coordination with the Office of Management and Budget; and the texts of the two statutes, as amended. It is designed to serve as a single reference volume for both FOIA and Privacy Act matters. The new 2006 edition of the Guide & Overview will replace its current edition, which was published in 2004.

The Office of Information and Privacy will distribute a courtesy copy of the Guide & Overview publication to Chief FOIA Officers and principal FOIA contacts at each federal agency as well as to various congressional offices, and to other interested parties.

All federal agencies wishing to order additional copies of the Guide & Overview should "ride" the Justice Department's requisition order through the Government Printing Office. Two months in advance of the November publication date this year, OIP will prepare for all agencies a "rider" letter that contains detailed instructions on this requisition process, as it has done in the past. As was the case two years ago, this instruction letter will be made available through FOIA Post. All agencies should note, however, that this year this letter will be disseminated to all agencies through FOIA Post only. The "rider" letter no longer is being sent to each agency by mail.

Lastly, the Office of Information and Privacy will conduct a special FOIA-training program, its "FOIA Guide Seminar," upon completion of its work on the 2006 edition of the Guide & Overview. As in past years, a special pre-publication copy of "Justice Department Guide to the FOIA" will be printed and provided to all attendees. This program, which is designed primarily for the access professional or agency official who needs only a periodic update on current FOIA case law and policy developments, is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, December 19, in the amphitheater of the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center Building in Washington, D.C., the location at which it was held in 2000 and 2002. Agency FOIA personnel now may register for it by calling (202) 514-3642.

Questions regarding any Justice Department FOIA publication, or about ordering such publications through the Government Printing Office, can be directed to OIP's publications editor, Pamela Maida, at (202) 514-5105. Questions regarding any Justice Department FOIA-training program may be directed to OIP's training coordinator, Bertina Adams Cleveland, at (202) 514-1010.  (posted 2/22/06; supplemented 5/31/06)

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