On November 24, 2009, I submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the DoD concerning library services at the Joint Task Force Detainee Library (JTFDL) at Guantanamo Bay, including the former Camp Iguana. The DoD forwarded the request to U. S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). The following information was requested:

Administrative responsibility for oversight of the libraries

Annual reports generated by the DOD and library staff concerning library management, policies, and services

Contractors that may provide library management and services

DOD regulations governing the management and operation of the Joint Task Force Detainee Library and the detainee library at Camp Iguana

Library access policies

Library circulation policies and statistics

Library collection development policies

Library staff credentials, including the number of staff holding a MLS or MLIS (Masters in Library and Information Science)

Library staffing levels

Policy and procedure manuals developed by the DOD and library staff concerning library management and services

Shelf list and/or inventory of titles in the libraries’ collections

Training materials generated by DOD and library staff concerning library management, policies, programs, and services

In May 2013, a colleague discovered that reporter Charlie Savage had uploaded a photo of library shelves while touring Guantánamo Bay. I contacted the the FOIA Ombudsman at the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) who has worked on my behalf for the last several years to fulfill the request. I assume OGIS was successful as the files below were released to me June 28, 2013.

It is clear from the documents I received that information was not released in toto from SOUTHCOM, including the name of the library contractor. (BTW, I did not request personal names of library contractors as this would violate privacy, although the request was interpreted this way).