cookies...

[george at library.caltech.edu]

Just going through my morning routine, catching up on the state of the
world, and I stumble across this story at CNN about the CIA and cookies
<http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/internet/03/20/cia.web.privacy.ap/>.  Like
many libraries, we point to the CIA World Fact Book
<http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/>, both from our website and
from the online catalog.

The story has an even closer tie to library and institutional websites,
though.  How many library websites set cookies in an attempt to recognize
repeat visitors?  I fully realize that with DHCP, wireless LANs, and
commercial ISPs that weblogs will not necessarily allow one to match an IP
address to a specific computer.  I guess the fundamental question is: is
there sufficient management imperative to quantify unique visitors to a
website to justify the privacy risks inherent in collecting such data?

I acknowledge the expediency for journal and database vendors to use cookies
as authentication tokens and for libraries to do so with respect to
personalization services (including localized services for OpenURL-based
functions).  Are there any other compelling user benefits or management
functions which justify the use of cookies in a library setting or for
library-related services?

George S. Porter
Sherman Fairchild Library of Engineering & Applied Science
Caltech, 1-43
Pasadena, CA  91125-4300
Telephone (626) 395-3409 Fax (626) 431-2681