[Michlib-l] FOIA from Smartprocure

[Corey Seeman]

There are some really useful FOIA requests - "just because" is not one of
them.

It seems that Smartprocure (http://smartprocure.us/understand-smartprocure/)
is trying to build a central database to help businesses - relying on FOIA
requests and then reselling the data to businesses.  It might be they are
reaching out to all public libraries in the state - just on a fishing
expedition.

This is the information on FOIA from the University of Michigan -
http://foia.vpcomm.umich.edu/  All requests have a more finite structure
and scope.  Everything over the last five years seems a bit much -
especially if it is someone outside the state (they are from Florida).
However, they might be working with a Michigan customer.

The Library of Michigan has a nice resource page for trustee info which
might be useful:
http://michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan/0,2351,7-160-18668_69405_18689---,00.html

Michigan Library Association had a workshop on this in April.  Maybe people
who went can chime in.  Sounds like a good topic for future MLA sessions.

I have seen some expensive charges from governmental entities - sometimes
excessively high - for FOIA requests.  I do not encourage people to come up
with high fees - just what is covered to reasonably do the work.  I would
let them know what it will cost and what they are looking at.

And when they say...why are you charging so much - you can talk about the
effort involved in this work - or simply say.... we are charging this "just
because".

Best - Corey


Corey Seeman

Director, Kresge Library Services (http://www.bus.umich.edu/kresgelibrary/)
Stephen M. Ross School of Business
University of Michigan
701 Tappan Street, Modular Offices
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1234
(734) 764-9969
Cell Phone (734) 717-9734
Fax (734) 764-4162
cseeman at umich.edu
Twitter @cseeman
Google+ https://plus.google.com/117345227585597362675
ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8205-1255
Corey's Web Home: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~cseeman/index.html

On Mon, Jun 15, 2015 at 11:29 AM, deb bose <gntdb at llcoop.org> wrote:

> Has anyone received a message from Smartprocure for all your libraries
> invoices and vendors for the last five years to upload electronically to
> their database.
>
> I called the person who sent the e-mail and she told me they just collect
> millions of public records-just because.
>
> Anyone experience this type  of request before?
>
>
> Thanks for your responses,
>
> Deb
>
> Deborah L. Bose, Director
> Grant Area District Library
> 122 Elder St.
> Grant, MI 49327
>
> 231-834-5713 t
> 231-834-9705 f
>
> _______________________________________________
> Michlib-l mailing list
> Michlib-l at mcls.org
> http://mail2.mcls.org/mailman/listinfo/michlib-l
>
>
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