[WEB4LIB] The FBI Monitoring Thread

[Andrew K. Pace]

As the one who pushed the ball downhill on this, I have to echo the sentiment of
the Editorial Board.  While I hoped that my initial post would incite some of
the reaction that it did among fellow professionals, the thread has clearly
devolved into (at worst) political reactionism and partisanship, or (at best) an
overview of our 101 course in Libraries and Society (at least for us
librarians...the rest of you might benefit from taking such a course).

I was attempting at the outset to begin a meaningful discussion about library
policies regarding log retention, dissemination, and de-personalization, as they
relate to a library's responsibility to maintain patron privacy.  This topic is
the baby in the bathwater, and I would welcome more discussion along those
lines.  As to the rest, although interesting, I suggest that some of us take the
discussion "off-list," as I have, choosing to make my political, ethical, and
ridiculing points one-on-one, instead of using the list to prove to everyone
that I am either a libertarian or a patriot (this is not meant to start a new
debate by suggesting that the two are mutually exclusive).
Respectfully,
Andrew K. Pace

Thomas Dowling wrote:

> A note from the Web4Lib Editorial Board.
>
> As stated on the Web4Lib home page (<http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Web4Lib/>),
> all messages posted to the list must relate, however slightly, to
> the list's general topic of World Wide Web systems and libraries or
> library staff. Under the list's traditionally broad interpretation
> of the general topic, much of the thread about FBI monitoring is on-
> topic.  However, a number of posts in the thread have begun to push
> well beyond those bounds.
>
> We urge you to bear in mind two of the list's other guidelines: Say
> something substantial, and agree to disagree.  If your post does not
> have something substantial to say regarding library web
> services, please find a more appropriate forum.
>
> For the Editorial Board
> Thomas Dowling
> OhioLINK - Ohio Library and Information Network
> tdowling at ohiolink.edu

--
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Andrew K. Pace, M.S.L.S.
Head, Systems ~ NCSU Libraries
North Carolina State University ~ Raleigh, NC
andrew_pace at ncsu.edu ~ 919-515-3087
http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/staff/pace/
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