- “The Justice Department says libraries have become a logical target of surveillance in light of evidence that some Sept. 11 hijackers used library computers to communicate with each other.”
- Section 215 of the Act permits federal officials to obtain a warrant from a secret federal court for library or bookstore records “of anyone connected to an investigation of international terrorism or spying.”
- Prohibits libraries or stores to tell patrons that the records have been requested by the FBI
- Bernie Sanders’ bill aiming to repeal the library and bookstore provision → Freedom to Read Protection Act
- Would mean that records could only be obtained by federal agents if they showed they could potentially find evidence of crime
- Asst. Attorney General Daniel Bryant claimed that Americans give up their right of privacy when they buy or check out books
- A patron’s privacy is “inherently limited” and is outweighed by the FBI’s need for the information
- His letter is helping fuel the fire for library workers who see how damaging the act is to libraries and people’s privacy
- Deborah Stone, Deputy Director of American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom:
“The republic was founded on the premise that you don’t have to share your thoughts.”