The Old Faithful Logbook is an official U.S. Federal Government document, not simply a notepad like the ones we carry around in the basins. As such it isn't to be treated lightly. I'm fairly certain that access to the logbook falls under, among others, the Freedom of Information Act, which governs the public's rights to access government documents. U.S. Code 552 basically states that copies of any public record must be made available upon request, but may require payment of a fee for the cost incurred in copying. Looking at original documents may be restricted for various reasons. The responsible agency, in this case NPS, should have rules in place regarding access to their original documents. In the past I have been told that I could not write in the log. Fine, I have no problem with that and will share my personally collected data as I see fit. I think now is a good time to discuss building and maintaining a GOSA logbook (preferably electronic) that is kept totally separate from NPS. Udo Freund GOSA Store www.gosa.org From: geysers-bounces at lists.wallawalla.edu [mailto:geysers-bounces at lists.wallawalla.edu] On Behalf Of inezaustin at aol.com Sent: Friday, August 06, 2010 8:34 PM To: geysers at lists.wallawalla.edu Subject: Re: [Geysers] OFVC Logbook -- Please Read I think we would all like clarification on this. I, for decades, entered times for obscure geysers. Then about ten years ago I was pretty much told to take a hike. Consequently I stopped. In the last two years when I have requested to see the log I was told no. So as far as I am concerned the powers that be and I have split the sheets. If we are once again going to help out with times, I want to know that the battle to get into the VC and do it is worth the effort. There will be no second chances again as far as I am concerned. Inez -----Original Message----- From: Ken Reeves <kreeves5 at cox.net> To: Geyser Observation Reports <geysers at lists.wallawalla.edu> Sent: Fri, Aug 6, 2010 7:40 am Subject: Re: [Geysers] OFVC Logbook -- Please Read Dave, Can you please provide what should or should not be turned in, how we get it into the logbook, which geysers should we turn in, etc. especially for those of us who are fairly new or don't get up there very frequently. A few years ago, I turned in my observations of some of the lesser geysers, I believe it was Solitaire Geyser, but was told by the ranger at the visitor center, that "we do not record data for that geyser", and it kind of left me with a bad taste on spending the time to gather the data. Thanks Ken Reeves David Monteith wrote: > .... To be successful, > geyser gazers need to share information. The logbook provides a > centralized place for us to put that information. I'm being very > selfish here. I want to know what is going on. The logbook provides > the details that don't get onto the list serve. I doesn't matter if the > NPS wants the information or scientists of park visitors. What matters > is that we, the geyser gazer community, want the information. So please > take the time to get your data into the logbook. Your efforts will be > greatly appreciated. > > _______________________________________________ Geysers mailing list Geysers at lists.wallawalla.edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: </geyser-list/attachments/20100807/325d7dc9/attachment.html>