The correct answer is B.
Public records and city documents are considered to be background information, as they provide information about the context of a story. Personal sources are people who provide information about a story, while observational sources are people who have witnessed a story firsthand. Spark Notes are summaries of books, not sources of information.
Background information is important for journalists to have, as it helps them to understand the context of a story and to provide accurate information to their readers. Public records and city documents are two types of background information that can be helpful for journalists.