Wish you were a little more organized? Have trouble finding that archived contract when you actually need it? Don’t feel too bad: The National Security Agency has the same problem, claiming that its contract database is stored manually and impossible to search by topic, category, or even by vendor in most cases.

In the first round of the Drone Census, MuckRock found drones in some unexpected places, from large police departments to small research agencies. In this next round, we intend to find every single UAV flying in domestic skies.

In August, the Associated Press asked the Office of the Director of National Intelligence whether it had issued instructions to monitor or detain journalists Glenn Greenwald, Barton Gellman and Laura Poitras and their associates David Miranda and Edward Snowden. While ODNI claims not to have any guidance documents on tracking these individuals, processing notes from the request indicate that its FOIA office is keeping tabs on requests related to the Snowden leaks.

David Cuillier is director of the University of Arizona journalism school, as well as president of the Society of Professional Journalists and author of the seminal public records how-to, “The Art of Access.” MuckRock caught up with the FOIA guru to talk about the future of access, bizarre denials and practical strategies for acquiring documents.

President Obama is fond of touting his open government pledge and his latest proposals to reform Freedom of Information Act compliance identify real issues in sore need of remedy. But FOIA needs more than promises.

New York’s economic development agency owns the family of “I Love New York” trademarks and service marks. Records released to MuckRock show the state has brought in about $282,000 by enforcing its copyright in the last two years.

For lovers of primary documents, there are few sites as rewarding, and beguiling, as Cryptome. In today’s Requester’s Voice, founder John Young shares the method to the site’s madness, how broken public access poisons media and democracy, and why he suggests spending just one hour a year on FOIA.

As the Surgeon General who rolled out tobacco warning labels and sent a pamphlet about AIDS to every household in the country, C. Everett Koop had his share of critics. While the FBI’s background check came up exemplary, they twice investigated threats against his life.

Curtis Raye is that rare comic who turns to the FBI Vault and PACER in search of material. As every FOIA nerd could predict, he doesn’t have to look far for true tales of the absurd for his new NYC variety show. He just has to be patient. ‘FOIA Love’ mines funny from public records… both light-hearted and dark

By September 14th, 1960, Isaac Asimov had been a professor of biochemistry Boston University for 11 years, and his acclaimed “I, Robot” collection of short stories was on its seventh reprint. This was also the day someone not-so-subtly accused him of communist sympathies in a letter to J. Edgar Hoover.

Bill de Blasio, freshly elected mayor of New York City, has been a vocal critic of New York Police Department’s dismal transparency record. As he takes the City Hall reins, he has the power to evolve from critic to transparency catalyst.

The FBI’s file on the 2004 Madrid train bombings is massive, so we’ve asked for help in digesting them. Here’s some of the most interesting finds in the 3,853 pages.

Jennifer LaFleur is the data journalism editor at the Center for Investigative Reporting, and has years of experience filing requests for government data. She shares indispensable tips on working with agencies throughout the process, knowing your rights as a requester and crafting stories about transparency.