Public records are a cornerstone of government transparency and accountability.

In a new story with DataJournalism.com, reporters Dillon Bergin and Betsy Ladyzhets shared how MuckRock collaborates with both experts and other reporters to pursue major data journalism projects.

Today, MuckRock’s Beryl Lipton and Open the Government’s Freddy Martinez will be featured in a training session hosted by the Project on Government Oversight. In coordination with that event, we’ve compiled some fast thoughts on how federal oversight and resources can complement local and state research and policy developments.

We put all these transparency changes into one easy-to-use table

Our standard advice holds even during this extraordinary time. Be empathetic to transitions necessary to maintain health and safety of government workers but be prepared to enforce the expectations of the state public records and open meeting laws. The following FAQ can help you work through the rest.

Curious where to start when it comes to FOIA and public records? Want something from government but not sure how to ask? This Thursday we’re hosting a free FOIA 101 training to help you become a better requester. The training is online and free, but RSVPs are required to reserve your place.

There may be no complete repository of federal appointees, but FOIA can be your inroad to learning the history of who has been added to an agency.