To help individuals, groups, and organizations obtain federal government records on themselves and others, this guidebook interprets the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act. The acts provide access to government data, personal records, and business information. The guidebook presents the texts of both acts, with section-by-section interpretations and directions on how to use the laws. The authors discuss the factors behind each act, which act to use, information exempted from disclosure under the acts, and "reverse-FOIA" cases (that is, suits filed to bar the government from releasing data). Information on locating and requesting records, paying fees, and taking cases to court is also included, as are sample request letters. Three lengthy appendices present the court decision in the reverse-FOIA case of Chrysler v. Brown, analyses and federal memoranda based on that decision, and the texts of the freedom of information statutes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The 1981 supplement provides a chapter-by-chapter update of the guidebook, reflecting new court cases, changing interpretations, and amendments to various states' statutes. (RW)