ILA Membership Dues at Work

December 19, 2014

We've been working hard to make improvements in the state's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), and we recently marked a win for you, your library, and the citizens of Illinois. ILA institutional member dues directly support the advocacy work that went into crafting language for the bill (HB3796), securing its initial passage by both chambers last spring, then overriding the governor's veto in the recent veto session.

The new language brings FOIA closer to the intent, not the abuse, of the law. The two main changes allow public bodies to refer FOIA requests directly to their website for information already posted there and offer response options to voluminous requests (so-called "FOIA bombing"). As librarians, we support access to information, and making FOIA manageable is the best way to ensure that information can be made available to all.

All libraries and other public bodies will benefit from these changes. Become an ILA institutional member today and start making the kind of change you want to see.