Walnut, IL., (ECWd) –
The Walnut Public Library in Walnut, Illinois seems to be using a play out of COD’s Breuder playbook by attempting to claim they think a Freedom Of Information Act request is spam. At one time, Breuder had the college block a certain email address, which in turn put FOIA requests from that address into the junk or spam folder. That changed once he realized he was responsible for the FOIA request even if the email was flagged as spam simply because it was delivered to the school’s server.
The Walnut Public Library posted a note on the Reaching Across Illinois Library System, RAILS, to try and get other libraries to follow along with them because they are too lazy to fulfill the request for information and think if they ignore it, it will go away.
What this library fails to understand is that a FOIA request is delivered when it hits their email server – not when they read the email. Flagging it as spam is an action taken to thwart the law and can be used to prove knowingly and willfully violations of the Freedom of Information Act.
7 Responses
How very sad. Picking on a little library in a town of approx. 1800 people. This library doesn’t even have a independent website and looks like no one manages their facebook page. They have a total of 2 employees. I would imagine they aren’t even aware of all the fuss at the OPPL.
How sad for you to paint this as though they are innocent little librarians…
They are very much aware of the fuss at OPPL.
Considering they were so confused, they referenced contacting the Atty General regarding the matter. Sounds plausible they didn’t know what was going on.
Do people always contact the attorney general when they suspect spam?
The answer is “NO”.
Then show what was sent to the Walnut library.
Wow, that’s gotta be submitted to the FOIA all time “funny response awards” !
What arrogance, how is it these people think they are above the law