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The AFU and Urban Legend Archive Legal library snooping
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The AFU and Urban Legend Archive Legal library snooping
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From: jdb@condor.cchem.berkeley.edu (Justin D. Bukowski)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: FBI checking library records (7 Deadly Sins)
Date: 28 Sep 1995 05:33:48 GMT
In article <44d5mn$otc@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, MacFAQ <macfaq@aol.com> wrote:
>Morgan Freeman realizes the killer must be a book buff, and may have
>borrowed books from the local library. He contacts a friend at the FBI who
>checks the library records. Eventually, they find a library patron whose
>reading interests match those of their killer. Besides Dante, Milton and
>Aquinas, this person reads books about mass murders and serial killers.
>
>Freeman explains to Pitt that when people check out certain books, the FBI
>begins monitoring their book-borrowing habits.
>
>Is this a novel idea on the part of the screenwriters, or is there some
>real or kooky history behind the notion that the FBI monitors the books
>people borrow from the library?
I recall that several years ago The Authorities floated the idea that the librarians of the US keep an eye on Who Reads Subversive Books and let the gummint know. The librarians promptly told the gov't to stuff their fascist little idea you-know-where.
Two cites I found:
McFadden, Robert D.
Libraries are asked by F.B.I. to report on foreign agents.
New York Times v137 (Fri, Sept 18, 1987):1(N), A1(L), col 1, 20 col in.
F.B.I. says Soviet spies on libraries; report asserts Russians seek
information and agents.
New York Times v137 (Wed, May 18, 1988):7(N), col 4, 11 col in.
I think the idea was that Soviet agents were (1) using our wonderful resources to unfair advantage, and (2) recruiting poor misguided USA'ns via the bookshelf. I suppose that if the feds tried again today they'd cite kiddie pornographers, drug dealers and terrorists.
As far as I know, the FBI doesn't have access to the records of
the various municipal libraries, unless it's without the libs
knowledge. The Americal Library Association home page is
<http::/www.ala.org/>. I looked around but didn't see anything
on this specific topic. Most librarians I know are pretty rabid
on the idea of freedom of access to information. Speaking
of which...
Justin "read a banned book this week" Bukowski
From: dnb@panix.com (Danny Burstein)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: cite on the NYS law keeping the FBI out of libraries
Date: 28 Sep 1995 01:11:28 -0500
In New York State, all library records which contain names or "other
personally identifying details regarding the users of public, free
association, school, college and university libraries and library
systems", are confidential. This includeds not just circulation records.
The law was amended in 1988to include records relating to computer
database searches, ill. transactions, reference queries, requests for
photocopies of library materials, title reserve requests, or the the use
of any a-v material. The law states that "such records may be disclosed
to the extent necessary for the proper operation of such library and
shall be disclosed upon request or consent of the user or pursuant to
subpoena, court order or where otherwise required by statute". Source:
McKINNEY'S CONSOLIDATED LAWS OF NEW YORK ANNOTATED BOOK 7B CIVIL PRACTICE
LAW AND RULES SEC.4509-LIBRARY RECORDS. The law is very clear on this
issue in New York state. The people who made the movie either took
tremendous artistic license or are just ignorant of libraries.
Garrett Farr
Commack Public Library
Commack,NY
gfarr@suffolk.lib.ny.us
On Sun, 24 Sep 1995, Phil White wrote:
> In the newly released movie SEVEN, New York City detectives get
> their man by using information from he FBI who are monitering the
> circulation of certain books checked out from the New York Public
> Library. Does such a program exist and is ALA going to make a
statement
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