Attorney General Mark Shurtleff wants to let some sunshine in on government records and meetings. The Attorney General's office has created "The Open Book," a 27-page pocket-sized handbook to help answer questions on open records and open meetings.

The Open Book has a simple question and answer format designed to help journalists, public officials and ordinary citizens. The handbook answers questions like:

- What records are public?

- How do I obtain a record?

The Open Book contains the entire "Open and Public Meetings Act" and a sample form to make a Government Records and Management Act (GRAMA) request. The publication is designed to be a convenient but useful means to fill the void between these publications:

- The wallet-sized card on Utah Open Meetings created by the Utah Headliners Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists;

- The 106-page "Utah Media Law Handbook and Guide to Open Government" which was prepared by the Utah headliners Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and the Utahns For Open Government (UFOG); and

- The 190-page "Handbook for the Utah Government Records and Management Act."

The Attorney General's Office printed 2,500 copies of The Open Book and will distribute them to public officials, journalists and Utah citizens. The publication will be available online with additional GRAMA information at http://www.attorneygeneral.utah.gov/GRAMA,html.