[WEB4LIB] RE: FBI to monitor libraries

[Andrew I. Mutch]

Eric,

Good question. I think someone earlier posed the question of whether what
you view on the Internet is akin to what you check out on your library
card or is it, as Paul suggested, more like what is posted on a billboard.
Personally speaking, I don't feel I have anything to hide but I also
don't think it is anyone's business what I read or what I view on the
Internet. I would hope that despite the constant erosion of privacy in
this world, that we would lean in favor of an assumption of privacy. That
doesn't mean we are protecting the criminal elements. Our library laws
provide exceptions for criminal investigations. So could policies dealing
with Internet use. But why should every user be treated like a criminal?

We don't allow postal employees to open our mail, even though the building
and facilities are all "owned" by the government and government employees
process and deliver the mail. Why should someone's personal e-mail or
other activities on the Internet be subject to government snooping? Just
because you can technically look at someone's information, doesn't mean
you should. 

Andrew Mutch
Library Systems Technician
Waterford Township Public Library



On Mon, 3 Jun 2002, Cantona, Eric wrote:

> A member wrote previously:
> 
> > >I don't care much about what any court has said.
> > > This is what my profession
> > > holds me to.
> > > *Anyone* should have a reasonable expectation of
> > > privacy for *anything* they do
> > > in a library.
> 
> But what is a reasonable expectation of privacy?  The Internet is a public
> network.  The PC is a public access node.  The library is a public building.
> 
> How much privacy can one assume from that setting?
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Donna Winter [mailto:dwinter at tln.lib.mi.us]
> Sent: Monday, June 03, 2002 9:20 AM
> To: Multiple recipients of list
> Subject: [WEB4LIB] RE: FBI to monitor libraries
> 
> 
> > 
> > Along similar lines -- 
> > Most librarians I know and I have been working with them for many years
> are extremely fine people -- 
> > Why they and/or the profession would be so set on providing a safe haven
> for illegal activity totally eludes me.
> > (Just my .02 -- don't bother flaming me  - because you won't change my
> mind any more than I will yours.)
> > 
> 
> Hear, Hear! If you've got nothing to hide, who cares what you read/look at
> on the internet. It's been really bugging me that so many people on this
> list are bent on protecting the rights of suspected criminals and nobody
> has spoken up on the opposite side. 
> 
> 
> 			----------------------------
> Donna Winter					Livonia Civic Center Library
> Reference Librarian, Adult Services		32777 Five Mile Road
> email:  dwinter at tln.lib.mi.us			Livonia, Michigan
> phone: (734) 466-2494				ref. desk: (734) 466-2490
> http://tln.lib.mi.us/~dwinter			http://livonia.lib.mi.us
> 
> 
>