To our modern sensibilities, broad public access to government information seems an obvious cornerstone for a democratic society. But, the public’s “right to know” is not actually a value deeply enshrined in America’s founding. Rather, what we think of as government “transparency” is largely the function of hard-won political victories in the post-World War II era that have been maintained only by vigilant effort. Recent trends within the federal government—not least the unprecedented removal of thousands of webpages and datasets from federal websites since the start of the current administration—demonstrate that further vigilance is needed.

This presentation will (1) investigate the history and status of the public’s “right to know” as a political and Constitutional matter, (2) survey the complex landscape of federal information dissemination, and (3) critically examine multiple fronts upon which access to federal government information is endangered. These include the risks inherent in a shift toward a fully digital Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), documented instances of disappearing or altered information on federal websites, and the current state of agency compliance with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), particularly in light of reductions in the federal workforce.

This program will be in a lecture format followed by a 10-15 minute Q&A / discussion session. The speaker will share findings and guidance from PowerPoint slides and additional resources. The discussion will pose some ideas and questions to the attendees regarding how law librarians and law libraries can contribute to advocacy, preservation, and educating patrons.

This program is sponsored by the Government Documents SIS (GD-SIS).

TARGET AUDIENCE:

Law librarians in all contexts (academic, public, and government) who have reason to access, research, and use government information on a daily basis. The aim is for conference attendees of all library affiliations to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges facing information professionals, researchers, and the public in accessing essential government data and records, and consider strategies for advocating for greater transparency and preservation.

TAKEAWAYS:

1. Participants will be able to describe the history of public access to U.S. government information, from the founding era to today, including the existence of any federally recognized “right to know.”
2. Participants will be able to recognize and understand threats to U.S. government transparency and information preservation, including the mass removal of “born digital” executive branch information, a fully digital Federal Depository Library Program, and the firing of Federal personnel responsible for agency compliance with the Freedom of Information Act. 
3. Participants will be able to identify and access non-governmental efforts to catalog and preserve U.S. government information, and use these resources to locate information that has gone missing from federal websites.

COORDINATOR/SPEAKER:

• Adam Anderson, Lewis & Clark Law School

AALL BODY OF KNOWLEDGE DOMAINS: Research + Analysis, Teaching + Training

CANCELLATION AND OTHER POLICIES:

No refunds will be given for any purchased AALL conference recording. This applies to non-AALL members only as the recordings are free for AALL members.

The opinions shared during this program represent the views of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL). Recording, capturing, or using AI tools to duplicate, transcribe, or otherwise reproduce an AALL program in any form is strictly prohibited without prior written consent from AALL. This includes, but is not limited to audio, video, or any other content shared. By accessing an AALL recording, you agree to adhere to this policy.