The MASTER GUIDE to the world of government and private on-line sources of public records.

This book reviews and explains the principal public records statutes applicable to records held by North Carolina local governments and examines the public's right of access to those records. It expands the coverage of the first edition and its cumulative supplement and also includes developments in the law since 2004. Although the book focuses on records held by local governments, state government officials also will find it useful.

Whatever you’re trying to learn about the world—as a journalist or as an informed citizen— public records often hold the key. But what records, where? And how to get them? Gaining access to records is an art, one that requires an organized approach and a good understanding of human behavior. The Art of Access: Strategies for Acquiring Public Records, Second Edition is a how-to guide for putting the law into action and using ingenuity to pry records loose. FOI experts and longtime journalists David Cuillier and Charles N. Davis present strategies for dealing with the officials who stand between you and the information you seek. They explore new developments in technology and research and the latest online innovations and tools to help you rethink the information-gathering process and develop a document state of mind.

"This book discusses features shared by state statutes that regulate public records and open meetings"--