As someone who has been threatened with jail, lawsuits, and the occasional death threat over requests I’ve filed or helped file, I understand how frustrating public records can be. But with Sunshine Week 2018 wrapped up, I think it’s worth taking note of everything that’s gone well.

As Sunshine Week draws to a close, some of our favorite projects from the week, including tips on collaboration and some awards you might not want to win. But first, how two reporters helped break news by following up on an old story.

As we kick off what will hopefully be a very transparent Sunshine Week 2018, we want to take a moment to reflect on one of the more absurd finds in the Central Intelligence Agency’s declassified archive so far, and how the work the #OpenGov community can find itself part of the public record.

Sunshine Week is coming up, and there’s a lot to be excited about this year. In this week’s FOIA roundup, some resources to get ready, plus a chance to say hi if you’re at NICAR or in the Boston area.

With Sunshine Week just around the corner, we wanted to count down the days to our favorite time of year with a closer look at what’s going on behind the black bars: the nine federal FOIA exemptions. Today, everyone’s least favorite exemption: b(5), the “Withhold It Because You Want To” exemption.