American Society of Access Professionals
http://www.accesspro.org/
About ASAP ASAP Members Programs & Benefits Membership Application
ASAP Bylaws ASAP Newsletter
About ASAP
The American Society of Access Professionals (ASAP) is a
nongovernmental, independent, educational, not-for-profit association.
It was founded in 1980 by concerned federal government employees and
private citizens working in the fields of information access through
the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the Privacy Act (PA), and laws
and regulations.
ASAP was founded as a professional forum dedicated to bringing
government FOIA and Privacy Act personnel in touch with the requester
community.
The requester community includes private citizens, law firms,
businesses, media and nonprofit organizations; it is not a government
agency.
ASAP is the leading organization providing quality professional
educational programs.
ASAP draws upon the highest caliber of government FOIA and Privacy
instructors along with known experts in the public requester field to
teach and discuss common problems in an open-dialogue forum.
Tremendous insight and education are attained by both sides as each
learns from the perspective of the other.
ASAP takes great pride in its programs, which have been cited
consistently for their content excellence and for providing the
opportunity to network with others across the United States and
beyond.
ASAP programs have something for everyone, from technical sessions to
open forum discussions to informal gatherings where members and
participants make some of their most important and long-lasting
contacts.
Learning - updating - enhancing skills - cost effective programs -
these are just some of the reasons why our participants keep returning
to ASAP programs year after year.
Who are ASAP Members?
ASAP members come from all walks of life. They are:
* FOIA/PA and access professionals throughout the United States and
Canada
* Federal state, local, and foreign government officials concerned
with FOIA releases, information privacy, and electronic records
* Faculty and staff of colleges and universities
* Attorneys and paralegals
* Journalists
* Not-for-profit public interest organization personnel
* Government contractors
* Businesses whose records are held by the Federal government
* Librarians
* Privacy advocates
ASAP Programs & Benefits
TRAINING SERIES -
This "nuts & bolts" program is a series of one-day seminars on the
FOIA and PA.
The first day serves as an entry level program or refresher course,
covering comprehensive overviews of each Act.
The second and third days are designed to cover more advanced topics.
The series is usually held in the Washington, D.C. area in late spring
or summer.
ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM -
Assuming a basic familiarity with the FOIA and PA, the two-day
Symposium addresses policy issues, airs current controversies, and
explores information disclosure frontiers.
This program is usually held in the Washington, D.C. area in late fall
or early winter.
BUSINESS INFORMATION DAY PROGRAM -
Program content concentrates on business information -
the issues and procedures associated with Exemption 4.
There are lectures, panel discussions and even role-playing with a
hypothetical.
This program usually immediately precedes or follows the Annual
Symposium.
WESTERN REGIONAL TRAINING CONFERENCE (WRTC) -
This program was created to bring educational opportunities beyond the
Washington, D.C. area.
The program combines "nuts & bolts" type training topics with the
thought- provoking and practical issues associated with FOIA and
Privacy Act processing and requesting.
A special feature of the program is concurrent breakout sessions for
individual agencies, thereby giving personnel a unique opportunity for
Questions & Answers as they pertain to their own agency policies.
The program is usually two or three days depending upon the venue.
The venue is rotated in the western region of the country with the
program typically held the first week in March.
FOOD-FOR-THOUGHT LUNCHEON SEMINARS -
ASAP sponsors four to six luncheon seminars each year highlighting a
specific FOI or Privacy topic or issue.
Speakers and topics vary according to interest levels and have
included high profile members of the judicial branch, congressional
staffers, journalists, new or proposed regulations, Web page content,
appeal processes, etc.
The program is designed to attract 20-50 people in an informal
setting, conducive to questions and answers.
ASAP underwrites the major costs of this program.
NEWSLETTER -
ASAP publishes a newsletter for its members that provides information
about upcoming and recent ASAP events, insights, and information about
changes in the laws, court decisions.
JOB BANK -
ASAP maintains an informal job bank.
From time to time, ASAP receives job opening notices from federal
agencies that are in turn distributed to members who have signed up to
be on the distribution list.
When time allows, job notices are also publicized in the newsletter
and distributed at various events.
DISCOUNTS -
Members receive substantial discounts on ASAP educational programs.
CREDIBILITY -
Benefit by belonging.
All members agree to abide by the Statement of Principles and help
develop the vision and shape the future of information access and
privacy.
NETWORKING -
Members take advantage of the relationships they build with other
access professionals.
About ASAP ASAP Members Programs & Benefits Membership Application
ASAP Bylaws
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Visit http://www.accesspro.org or
call ASAP at 202-712-9054 ext. 9029,
Monday through Friday between the hours of
9am and 4pm eastern time.
http://www.accesspro.org/
List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
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