Originator: kadie@eff.org
Organization: The Electronic Frontier Foundation
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.circplus
Apparently-To: eff-mail-circplus@eff.org
Date:         Wed, 26 Aug 1992 20:57:30 GMT
              <CIRCPLUS@IDBSU.BITNET>
Comments:     Warning -- original Sender: tag was usenet@EFF.ORG
From:         "Carl M. Kadie" <kadie@EFF.ORG>
Subject:      Re: Confidentiality of library reading

Here is an ALA statement on this. - Carl

================================================
STATEMENT CONCERNING CONFIDENTIALITY OF PERSONALLY
IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION ABOUT LIBRARY USERS


The ethical responsibilities of librarians, and statutes in 44
states and the District of Columbia, protect the privacy of
library users.  Confidentiality extends to "information sought or
received, and materials consulted, borrowed or acquired," and
includes database search records, reference interviews,
interlibrary loan records and all other personally identifiable
uses of library materials, facilities or services.

The First Amendment's guarantee of freedom of speech and of the
press requires that the corresponding rights to hear what is
spoken and read what is written be preserved, free from fear of
government intrusion, intimidation or reprisal.  Confidentiality
is essential to protect the exercise of these rights from
governmental invasions of privacy.

Libraries are impartial resources providing information on all
points of view, available to all persons regardless of age, race,
religion, national origin, social or political views, economic
status, or any other characteristic.  The role of libraries as
such resources must not be compromised by an erosion of the
privacy rights of library patrons.

The American Library Association has received several reports of
visits by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to
libraries, where agents allegedly have asked for personally
identifiable information about library patrons.  These visits,
whether within the so-called "Library Awareness Program" or not,
reflect an insensitivity to the role confidentiality plays in the
preservation of First Amendment rights, rights which extend also
to foreign nationals while in the United States.  The Bureau's
interest in library records reflects a dangerous and fallacious
equation of what a person reads with what that person believes or
how that person is likely to behave.  This presumption is a
threat to the freedom to read.  It is also a threat to a crucial
aspect of First Amendment rights:  that freedom of speech and of
the press include the freedom to hold, disseminate and receive
unpopular, minority, "extreme" or even "dangerous" ideas.

The Intellectual Freedom Committee recognizes that under limited
circumstances, access to certain information might be restricted
due to a legitimate "national security" concern.  However, there
has been no showing of a plausible probability that national
security will be compromised by the uses foreign nationals make
of the unclassified information available in libraries.

The Intellectual Freedom Committee also recognizes that law
enforcement agencies and officers may occasionally believe that
library records contain information which would be helpful to the
investigation of criminal activity.  If there is a reasonable
basis to believe such records are necessary to the progress of an
investigation or prosecution, our judicial system provides the
mechanism for seeking release of such confidential records:  the
issuance of a court order, following a showing of good cause
based on specific facts, by a court of competent jurisdiction.

January 10, 1989

[Made available by permission of the American Library Association.]

=========================

=================
README
=================
Library Policy Archive
  [part of the Computers and Academic Freedom (CAF) Archive
     [part of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) Archive]]

This is an on-line collection of library policy statements. It
includes the American Library Association's Freedom To Read statement
and the ALA Library Bill of Rights. (The ALA material is made
available by permission of the American Library Association.)

The archive is accessible via anonymous ftp and email. Ftp to
ftp.eff.org (192.88.144.4). It is in directory "pub/academic/library".
For email access, send email to archive-server@eff.org. Include the
line:

send acad-freedom/library <filenames>

where <filenames> is a list of the files that you want. File README is
a detailed description of the items in the directory.

For more information, to make contributions, or to report typos
contact Carl Kadie (kadie@eff.org).

=================
access.children.nonprint.ala
=================
"Access for Children and Young People to Videotapes and Other Nonprint
Formats"

An interpretation by the American Library Association of the "Library
Bill of Rights"

=================
access.minors.ala
=================
"Free Access to Libraries for Minors"

An interpretation by the American Library Association of the "Library
Bill of Rights"

=================
access.policies.ala
=================
"Regulations, policies, and Procedures Affecting Access to Library
Resources and Services"

An interpretation by the American Library Association of the "Library
Bill of Rights"

=================
access.restrictions.ala
=================
"Restricted Access to Library Materials"

An interpretation by the American Library Association of the "Library
Bill of Rights"

It says in part: "In any situation which restricts access to certain
materials, a barrier is placed between the patron and those materials.
That barrier may be age related, linguistic, economic, or
psychological in nature."  ... "Because restricted collections often
are composed of materials which some library patrons consider
'objectionable,' the potential user may be predisposed to think of the
materials as 'objectionable' and, therefore, are reluctant to ask for
them."

=================
bill-of-rights.ala
=================
The Library Bill of Rights from the American Library Association.

=================
bulletin-boards.ala
=================
"Exhibit Spaces and Bulletin Boards"

An interpretation by the American Library Association of the "Library
Bill of Rights"

=================
censorship.def.ala
=================
The American Library Association's definition of "censorship" and related
terms.

=================
challenged-materials.ala
=================
"Challenged Materials"

An interpretation by the American Library Association of the "Library
Bill of Rights"

=================
confidentiality.1.ala
=================
The American Library Association's "Policy on Confidentiality of
Library Records"

=================
confidentiality.2.ala
=================
The American Library Association's "Statement Concerning
Confidentiality of Personally Identifiable Information about Library
Users"

=================
diversity.ala
=================
"Diversity in Collection Development"

An interpretation by the American Library Association of the "Library
Bill of Rights"

It says that collections should be inclusive, not exclusive. And that
materials should cover the needs and interest of all patrons. "This
includes materials that reflect political, economic, religious,
social, minority, and sexual issues."


=================
elec.rights1-4
=================
This is the ASCII version of a printed booklet distributed at the
American Library Association conference in July 1991. The program was
sponsored by the Library and Information Technology Association.
Details follow on ordering the full print monograph.
[From ftp.apple.com:alug/rights/elec.rights1-4]

=================
evaluating-collections.ala
=================
"Evaluating Library Collections"

An interpretation by the American Library Association of the "Library
Bill of Rights"

=================
expurgation.ala
=================
"Expurgation of Library Materials"

An interpretation by the American Library Association of the "Library
Bill of Rights"

=================
free-expression.ala
=================
"The Universal Right to Free Expression"

An interpretation by the American Library Association of the "Library
Bill of Rights"

=================
freedom-to-read.ala
=================
The "Freedom to Read Statement" of the American Library Association
and Association of American Publishers.

It says in part: "We trust Americans to recognize propaganda, and to
reject it.  We do not believe they need the help of censors to assist
them in this task.  We do not believe they are prepared to sacrifice
their heritage of a free press in order to be "protected" against what
others think may be bad for them.  We believe they still favor free
enterprise in ideas and expression."

=================
int-freedom.ala
=================
"Intellectual Freedom Statement"

An interpretation by the American Library Association of the "Library
Bill of Rights"

=================
int-freedom.can
=================
Canadian Library Association Statement on Intellectual Freedom

=================
labeling.ala
=================
"Statement on Labeling"

An interpretation by the American Library Association of the "Library
Bill of Rights"

It gives three reasons why labeling is bad. The first is that
"[l]abeling is an attempt to prejudice attitudes and as such, it is a
censor's tool."

=================
library-programs.ala
=================
"Library Initiated Programs as a Resource"

An interpretation by the American Library Association of the "Library
Bill of Rights"

=================
library.porn
=================
A parody of a real newspaper article published in the Houston Chronicle. The
parody is by Carl Kadie. It was published in rec.humor.funny.

=================
library.porn.real
=================
A real newspaper article published in the Houston Chronicle. The
parody is in file library.porn.


=================
meeting-rooms.ala
=================
ALA policy on meeting rooms

It says that facilities should be made available to the public served
by the given library "on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs
or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use." It is
an interpretation by the American Library Association of the "Library
Bill of Rights".

=================
order.form.ala
=================
ALA ordering information

1991 information on how to order intellectual freedom material from
the American Library Association. Much of the material is free.

=================
patron.behavior.draft.ala
=================
DRAFT   DRAFT   DRAFT   DRAFT   DRAFT   DRAFT   DRAFT   DRAFT   DRAFT   DRAFT

     GUIDELINES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLICIES REGARDING PATRON BEHAVIOR
                            AND LIBRARY USAGE

=================
school-libraries.ala
=================
ALA's policy on grade and high school libraries.

It says that the principles of the Library Bill of Rights apply to
school libraries. The statement's full title is "Access to Resources
And Services in the School Library Media Program". It is an
interpretation by the American Library Association of the "Library
Bill of Rights".

=================
selection-workbook.ala
=================
Full text of ALA's selection policy workbook.

The American Library Association's "Workbook on Selection Policy
Writing". Although aimed at textbook and library book selection in
grade and high schools, it also seems applicable to newsgroup
selection. It includes information about how create a selection policy
and how to handle complaints. It also includes a sample selection
policy.

=================
=================
Last update
Fri Aug 14 15:30:34 EDT 1992

--
Carl Kadie -- I do not represent EFF; this is just me.
 =kadie@eff.org, kadie@cs.uiuc.edu =
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU