There are some really useful FOIA requests - "just because" is not one of them.

It seems that Smartprocure (http://smartprocure.us/understand-smartprocure/) is trying to build a central database to help businesses - relying on FOIA requests and then reselling the data to businesses.  It might be they are reaching out to all public libraries in the state - just on a fishing expedition.

This is the information on FOIA from the University of Michigan - http://foia.vpcomm.umich.edu/  All requests have a more finite structure and scope.  Everything over the last five years seems a bit much - especially if it is someone outside the state (they are from Florida).  However, they might be working with a Michigan customer.  

The Library of Michigan has a nice resource page for trustee info which might be useful:

http://michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan/0,2351,7-160-18668_69405_18689---,00.html

Michigan Library Association had a workshop on this in April.  Maybe people who went can chime in.  Sounds like a good topic for future MLA sessions.  

I have seen some expensive charges from governmental entities - sometimes excessively high - for FOIA requests.  I do not encourage people to come up with high fees - just what is covered to reasonably do the work.  I would let them know what it will cost and what they are looking at. 

And when they say...why are you charging so much - you can talk about the effort involved in this work - or simply say.... we are charging this "just because".

Best - Corey

Corey Seeman

Director, Kresge Library Services (http://www.bus.umich.edu/kresgelibrary/)
Stephen M. Ross School of Business
University of Michigan
701 Tappan Street, Modular Offices
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1234
(734) 764-9969
Cell Phone (734) 717-9734
Fax (734) 764-4162
cseeman@umich.edu
Twitter @cseeman
Google+ https://plus.google.com/117345227585597362675 

ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8205-1255
Corey's Web Home: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~cseeman/index.html 

On Mon, Jun 15, 2015 at 11:29 AM, deb bose <gntdb@llcoop.org> wrote:

Has anyone received a message from Smartprocure for all your libraries invoices and vendors for the last five years to upload electronically to their database.

I called the person who sent the e-mail and she told me they just collect millions of public records-just because.

Anyone experience this type  of request before?

Thanks for your responses,

Deb

Deborah L. Bose, Director

Grant Area District Library

122 Elder St.

Grant, MI 49327

231-834-5713 t

231-834-9705 f

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