How should 40 MB be sent?

[Wassercrats]

This is a very rough estimation and I could be off by a factor of 10, but I might request a large amount of data under the freedom of information act (assuming the government doesn't want to give it up without an FOIA request). In fact, if I get a partner for this project or some donations (the data would be posted to my website and require processing), I might request far more than that. It's information that some companies need to submit to the government, and I'd be requesting the information that at least one large national chain store submitted, which I estimate would be 40 MB. I haven't read about FOIA requests for a while, but I think you can request a particular format for the information. How should I ask for it? Splitting it into files small enough to email might complicate things for the government agency I'm dealing with, and that could cost me. Would they know how to FTP it? Would they have a CD burner?

(Yes, I know I'd have to upgrade my website package for this.)

[hobbes]

Don't be surprised if you're provided photocopies or at best scans (depending on the materials), but asking for a CD with the info on it may be your best bet. That's assuming they don't make you go to the national archives ...

[Wassercrats]

I just noticed that it's a state agency. I clicked "FOIL" on their website just out of curiosity, and it happened to link to this (http://www.ins.state.ny.us/foilindx.htm) page about the state Freedom of Information law. I guess I'd need to email 50 state insurance departments to see if they have similar records. I think I'll just do NY for now.

...I see their PDF application doesn't have a place for specifying format, but I'll specify CD anyway. Hmm...I better add "or other digital format" or something.

[Jeff]

Still like my email box where I can simply tell people to 'send the files'' and it just works :)

[Wassercrats]

Now I see at the bottom of the pdf form that they list media and what they charge. They don't mention CDs, but they offer zip disks (where available) for $10 each.