What are the three modalities of providing public access to information?

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) provides for three forms of disclosure: publication, inspection and copying, and production upon request. Agencies meet the publication requirement by publishing information in the Federal Register. The second form of disclosure entails making information available for public inspection and copying. FOIA §552(a)(1) requires that agencies make certain information available for inspection and copying. The production-upon-request method is a catch-all, providing people with access to most public records. All documents, other than those specified for publication or inspection and copying, fall into this category.