Main Library Page Policies Index
Policy 013
PLATTEKILL PUBLIC LIBRARY
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION POLICY
Adopted: July 14, 2011
In compliance with Public Offices Law, article 6, and Executive Law, §206a [1§] §208, the Board of Trustees of the Plattekill Public Library adopts this Freedom of Information Law Policy.
RECORDS ACCESS OFFICER
As Chief Executive Officer of the Plattekill Public Library, the Library Director is hereby designated to be the Records Access Officer of the Library.
The Records Access Officer shall:
Respond to all inquiries relating to the availability to the public of the office’s records pursuant to the Freedom of Information Law within a specified five days following receipt of request
Receive and process requests for access to records in the manner prescribed by law
Maintain a current list of records, indexed according to subject matter, for public inspection
Comply with these and all other duties as itemized in Section §50.3 of the Law
SUBJECT MATTER LIST
The Records Access Officer shall maintain and make available for public inspection and copying a correct list, by subject matter, of these records, as enumerated within the Freedom of Information Law, which are available for public inspection. The subject matter list shall be updated no less frequently than twice per year and shall be ready for public scrutiny within thirty (30) days of passage of this policy.
FOIL REQUESTS
Shall be submitted to the Records Access Officer in writing and shall specify whether the petitioner wishes to see and read the requested item or receive a copy
Shall be answered within five business days (Monday through Friday) of the date the request is received. If the document/information is not immediately available, the Records Access Officer shall notify the requesting individual when and how the requested record will be available
Shall be sufficiently detailed to identify the specific document requested
Shall include the name, mailing address, and telephone number of the requesting individual
May require payment for copies
INSPECTING AND/OR COPYING RECORDS
If access to records is granted, records may be inspected by the public at the Library in the presence of the Records Access Officer or his/her designee during regular hours of Library operation. If the original of the record includes information, details and/or particulars requiring deletion, the individual requesting shall only be permitted to inspect a copy of the record with deletions.
Copying of the record will be performed by the Records Access Officer upon payment of the fee established by the Board of Trustees.
No original record may be removed from the office where the record is kept.
DENIAL OF REQUESTS
Should the Records Access Officer deny access, said denial may be appealed to the Board of Trustees by the individual requesting the record.
FEES
No fee may be charged for:
Inspection of the itemized records, prepared pursuant to section §7(3)(b) of the Freedom of Information Law setting forth the name, address, title, and salary of each officer or employee of the office
Inspection of records which do not require deletion of any parts thereof
Inspection of a copy of a record which required deletion
Inspection of any other document which is available at the discretion of the
Library Director
The fee for a copy of a record which does not exceed either 8.5” in width or 11” in length shall be twenty-five cents (25¢) per page.
PUBLIC NOTICE
The Records Access Officer shall cause public notice to be posted near the Circulation Desk of the Library informing members of the public of:
The Records Access Officer’s business address and business telephone number
The time and place records will be made available for inspection and copying
The right to appeal by any person denied access to records
The name, business address, and business telephone number of the Records Appeals Officer.
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION LAW
Any details not specified in this policy should be located in the actual law, which may be found at http://www.ofl.state.ny.us.FOIL.Regs.htm
SUBJECT MATTER LIST Updated 2015 June 1
Board Meeting Minutes
In paper form prior to 2013
Current: Posted online
Director’s reports: 2014-2015
Past 2 years in paper form.
Treasurer/Book Keeper Reports
Past year in paper form.
Quickbooks Financial Records.
2004 to present. (last 10 years)
Auditor’s reports
2013 and 2014 in paper form
Policies: Posted on line
Old policies in paper form only.