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Public records have practical value in everyday life. Below are examples of how people use public records to help themselves and their communities.

Criminal information. Find out if someone has a criminal record or if a store has been sued in Pima County by checking with the clerk of the Superior Court online at www.cosc.co.pima.az.us/ (click on "record search" on the left) and by looking at the paper records at the courthouse, second floor, 110 W. Congress St.

• Statewide court records can be searched at www.supreme.state.az.us/publicaccess/ notification/default.asp

• Check your city police department or the sheriff's department (if you live outside a city) for incident reports in your neighborhood. The Tucson Police Department posts crime maps of neighborhoods at http://tpdinternet.tucsonaz.gov/stats

• Look up sex offenders in your neighborhood at http://az.gov/ webapp/offender/main.do

• For registries in other states, www.publicrecordfinder.com/ criminal.html

Property values. Assessed values as recorded by the Pima County Assessor's Office are available online at www.asr.co.pima.az.us/apiq/, searchable by address or name.

Other information available online for free is at www.zillow.com

Genealogy. A lot of public records document our major life events, and those help people discover their family history. For example, in Pima County you can search for marriage licenses, divorces, and other court information at www.cosc.co.pima.az.us/

For birth certificate information, family members can access records from the state Department of Health Services at www.azdhs.gov/vitalrcd/birth_index.htm

School performance. Check with your school district to get a summary of standardized test results for the past several years. Results also are posted online at the state Department of Education Web site, www.ade.state.az.us/administration/superintendent/

Development plans. Development plans are available at your city and county planning departments. Some useful records for keeping an eye on your neighborhood include road and park plans, zoning maps and new development permits.

Retirement savings. The Social Security Administration provides a free statement that outlines what your estimated benefits will be upon retirement, based on your previous contributions. Go to www.ssa.gov/mystatement/

Licensed professionals. Information about licensed professionals is often available online. • For example, for physicians, see http://webapps.ama-assn.org /doctorfinder/home.html • Lawyers, www.abanet.org/ • Contractors in Arizona, http://az.gov/ webapp/portal/ • And pilots, www.landings.com (click on "databases" on the home page).

Politics. Find out who is funding political campaigns at www.opensecrets.org or at Project Vote Smart, a national organization founded originally in Tucson (http://votesmart.org).

Nonprofits. You can find out more about a nonprofit organization before contributing by checking out its budget, officers and duties, reported to the IRS annually. These IRS 990 forms are online at www.guidestar.org

Public record information. If you have difficulty obtaining public records from an agency in Arizona, check with the Arizona Ombudsman-Citizens' Aide office at www.azleg.state.az.us/ombudsman/ default.htm

• Information about public records access in Arizona from a 2002 statewide audit is available at www.azstarnet.com/publicrecords/

• A good overview of the open records and meeting laws and the legal text are available at www.rcfp.org/ogg/index.php?op= browse&state=AZ

— David Cuillier