All library locations are closed on Friday, October 11th for library staff training.
The Georgia Open Records Act, § 50-18-70, et seq, outlines the process for how members of the public can request and inspect governmental records. The term "public record" shall mean all documents, papers, letters, maps, books, tapes, photographs, computer based or generated information, or similar material prepared and maintained or received in the course of the operation of a public office or agency. "Public record" shall also mean such items received or maintained by a private person or entity on behalf of a public office or agency which are not otherwise subject to protection from disclosure.
In accordance with O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, et seq., all public records maintained by the Forsyth County Public Library shall be open for personal inspection and copying, except those which by order of a court or by law are specifically exempted from disclosure. Civil practice discovery requests by one or more of the methods allowed by Georgia law should not be submitted via an Open Records Request.
The individual in control of such public records shall have a reasonable amount of time to determine whether or not the records requested are subject to access under the Open Records Act. An agency shall not be required to produce records if such records did not exist at the time of the request. In no event shall this time exceed three business days; however, where responsive records exist but are not available within three business days of the request, a written description of such records, together with a timetable for their inspection or copying, shall be provided within that period.
Pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71(c)(1)...the charge for the search, retrieval, or redaction of records shall not exceed the prorated hourly salary of the lowest paid full-time employee who, in the reasonable discretion of the custodian of the records, has the necessary skill and training to perform the request; provided, however, that no charge shall be made for the first quarter hour.
Other fees:
In any instance in which an agency will seek costs in excess of $25.00 for responding to a request, the agency shall notify the requester, within a reasonable amount of time not to exceed three business days, of the estimate of the costs and the agency may defer search and retrieval of the records until the requester agrees to pay the estimated costs unless the requester has stated within the request a willingness to pay an amount that exceeds the search and retrieval costs. In any instance in which the estimated costs for production of the records exceed $500.00, an agency may insist on prepayment of the costs prior to beginning search, retrieval, review, or production of the records.
