Libraries Say Yes, Officials Do Quiz Them About Users

[quaoar]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/20/politics/20patriot.html

By ERIC LICHTBLAU
Published: June 20, 2005

WASHINGTON, June 19 - Law enforcement officials have made at least 200 formal and informal inquiries to libraries for information on reading material and other internal matters since October 2001, according to a new study that adds grist to the growing debate in Congress over the government's counterterrorism powers.

In some cases, agents used subpoenas or other formal demands to obtain information like lists of users checking out a book on Osama bin Laden. Other requests were informal - and were sometimes turned down by librarians who chafed at the notion of turning over such material, said the American Library Association, which commissioned the study.

The association, which is pushing to scale back the government's powers to gain information from libraries, said its $300,000 study was the first to examine a question that was central to a House vote last week on the USA Patriot Act: how frequently federal, state and local agents are demanding records from libraries.

The Bush administration says that while it is important for law enforcement officials to get information from libraries if needed in terrorism investigations, officials have yet to actually use their power under the Patriot Act to demand records from libraries or bookstores.

[tmooses]

1. Wasn't Sensenfuhrer askintg for one example of libraries being asked

for files by the feds in his implosion hearing?

[Rose Siding]

2. It's illegal for the librarians to report the requests

That's part of the Patriot Act. This survey was anonymous.

[Supersedeas]

18. Please break the law by supplying us some facts...

[Igel]

13. And the article doesn't make the central claim:

That the libraries were asked under the provisions of the Patriot Act.

It would have been sufficient had the reporter stated there was no other provision under which the FBI would be allowed to ask libraries, formally or informally.

I don't trust the media when they're explicit, I'm not going to trust them when they want me to infer their claim.

[Quakerfriend]

3. When I told my 12 year old that * co. was

doing this sort of stuff he said, "That's a no brainer Mom, just take out a couple of books written by Anne Coulter."

I kid you not!

[Karla Marx]

5. Great kid ya got there!

He's wisen up fast. Course, he's growing up in FascistUSA.

[BiggJawn]

4. That's some catch, that Catch-22....

Sense-lessbrenner: "Well, (harumpf) I never HEARD of any librarians coming out and saying that they've been jacked up by the FBI for records, so I'd say the FBI has shown great restraint in using their special powers..."

"Uh, Sir? It's a FELONY, under the PATRIOT act, for librarians to disclose that they've been ordered to cough-up records..."

"Well, (harumpf!) then it didn't HAPPEN, DID it? That's some catch, that Catch-22....(harumpf!)"

[shockra]

6. I'm sure I'm fine.

I only check out books on feminism, science, and animal rights. Except for those by Bush Administration critics and leftists like Chomsky.

:hide:

[magellan]

7. Give Sense-n-brainless something to really harumph over

Buy Hugo Chávez's book at Amazon, Chávez : Venezuela and the New Latin America.

:toast:

[LittleWoman]

8. Prying into library records is not new

During the Viet Nam protest years the chemistry librarian at the university where I worked was asked by the FBI to disclose who had checked out various materials which contained information which could be used to build bombs. She was resistant to providing the information and I don't remember the exact outcome. Unfortunately, this was pre-computer records and it was impossible to scrub circulation records. Now all the library has to do is remove the record of the check out when the book is returned and not keep track of what anyone checks out except while the material is checked out. I absolutely refuse to alter my library use out of fear. That said, I might wind up spending my retirement years in the sunny climate of Cuba.

[carincross]

9. Go to the Source

Don't trust government figures!

[Demeter]

10. Because Reading About Osama Bin Ladin Is SO DANGEROUS!

I'm surprised he hasn't shut down the NYTimes and THe Washington Post yet. Oh, that's right, that's the next step in the UnPatriot Act!

[noonwitch]

17. Well, Ann Coulter wanted McVeigh to blow up the NYT building

Under the Patriot Act, isn't that encouraging a terror attack on an american target?

[renaissanceguy]

19. I think Ann Coulter books should be properly placed

in a nice, big fire.


http://www.cafepress.com/liberalissues/479723

[Demeter]

11. Dupe

[JABBS]

12. The Patriot Act and Libraries

Conservatives have always been quick to poke fun at critics of the Patriot Act, usually saying something like "the government isn't going around and interrogating a bunch of librarians."

It was a defense mechanism -- "Don't worry," the conservatives said, the Patriot Act isn't going to hurt you. And lazy television talking heads bought the argument, and repeated it ad nauseum.

What this story shows, once again, is that you shouldn't treat the government -- liberals or conservatives -- as objective sources. Reporters should do their own investigating. The problem with this story is that it appears now, rather than in real time. Why wasn't this story done earlier in the process, when all Americans had to go on was competing opinions, rather than facts?

[BrotherBuzz]

15. Gary Webb would have agreed with you about government sources

"The one thing that I’ve learned from this whole experience is, first of all, you can’t believe the government--on anything. And you especially can’t believe them when they’re talking about important stuff, like this stuff. The other thing is that the media will believe the government before they believe anything." - Gary Webb

Welcome to DU...

[Inland]

14. 200 requests reported in a SURVEY of 1500 libraries!

That means there must have been thousands and thousands of requests across the country of libraries and bookstores!

But Bush just says whatever he likes and waits until someone calls him on it. What a dick.

Congress should realize that these people can't be trusted with power.

[Mizmoon]

16. Many librarians defend against this with poor record keeping

seriously ... they can't give your name out if they don't have a record of it.

[GoldenOldie]

20. Thank God for Librarians - True Patriots

The majority of the public are unaware that Librarians have been the protectors and watchful eyes to protect all citizens rights and to honor the Consitution. They have been in the vanguard to prevent religious fundies from denying and destroying historic literature and any literature that they do not agree with.

Laura Bush is touted as a teacher/Librarian yet she spent limited time practising her profession and she apparently does not follow or agree with the National Librarians Associations who stand united against "the Patriot Act."

Librarians throughout the various areas of their profession ie., Municipal, Medical, Scientific, etc., etc., are united in defending both the citizen and our nation.

[Robbien]

21. True. My librarian said they do not keep records of what has been checked

by by user. They only keep records on what is currently checked out but no history data by user.

Librarians Rock!