FOI Resources
- Open Government Guide
Information on every state's open records and open meetings laws. - Open Doors: Accessing Government Information
Resource guide for freedom of information in journalism. From the Society of Professional Journalists. - iFOIA.org wiki
Federal and state FOIA resource guide, plus information about FOIA appeals.
Open Records Requests
Most public records are accessible.
Not all online open records request systems track the progress of your request. If they do not, it is up to you to keep track.
Be specific about what you want to receive AND how you want to receive it.
Below are local government entities' pages you may need for making an open records request.
Census & Demographic Search
Research Databases
- SimplyAnalytics This link opens in a new window
Extensive demographic, business and marketing data from sources such as census data from 2000 and 2010,Current Estimates, Five Year Projections, the Experian SimmonsLOCAL and Nielsen Claritas PRIZM Data Packages. Coverage: 2000-present. 10 simultaneous users.
- Census.Gov Quick FactsQuickFacts provides statistics for all states and counties, and for cities and towns with a population of 5,000 or more.
Alkek Library's online guides:
- State and Local Demographics GuideState of Texas population statistics websites and reports
- Census Bureau Statistics GuideOnline and Print Census Resources
County Records Search
Looking for a different county? Try Googling the County + the type of information you're looking for.
- Hays County Public Information Request SystemSearch for Documents, Court Records, Job Openings, Parking Mobility, Public Land Record Search, and Tax Payments to Hays County.
- Hays Central Appraisal DistrictProperty Record Search for Hays County. Need a different county? Try Googling for the County + Appraisal District.
- San Marcos Daily Police BlotterLinks to daily police reports for arrests and calls for service
- Travis County RecordsOnline records and court case data for Travis County.
- BRB Public Records Meta SearchFree directory of local, state, and federal public records search listings. Some linked may require subscriptions.
Googling .gov sites
Government Website Searching
“global warming” site:.gov
This will search for the exact phrase "global warming" only in U.S. Government websites.
State of Texas Records & Data
- Crime Records ServiceSearch TxDPS Crime Records Service for Criminal History Conviction Search and Public Sex Offender Registry.
- Texas Open Data PortalData on TX businesses, transportation, veterans, education, the environment, and more.
National Crime Statistics
The following links will take you to government sites with national statistics on criminal activity, including sex crimes and family violence.
- ElderlyResources from the National Criminal Justice Reference Service.
- National sex offender public websiteCoordinated by the U.S. Department of Justice, this website provides information as a collaboration between jurisdictions hosting public sex offender registries.
- Office of Violence against WomenFrom the Department of Justice.
- WomenResources from the National Criminal Justice Reference Service.
- FBI ReportsFrom the Federal Bureau of Investigation
- CybercrimeFrom the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the Department of Justice.