Privacy and Public Libraries

[Michael Edward Marotta <mercury@well.sf.ca.us>]

YOUR PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND YOUR PERSONAL PRIVACY
by Michael E. Marotta <mercury@well.sf.ca.us>
 
Generally speaking, librarians are very sensitive to the issues 
surrounding privacy.  As a rule, they protect the privacy of 
their patrons and they especially resist law enforcement requests 
for information about anyone's reading habits.
 
There are some exceptions.
 
A librarian can be coersed or cajoled into releasing privileged 
information.  Unless they are very sure of their principles, an 
effective police interrogator will break down their resistance.  
Possible ploys run from pleas for professional assistance in 
criminal cases to good cop/bad cop. 
 
Here in Michigan, we have 455 MPA 1982, "The Michigan Library 
Privacy Act."  In a recent case involving a librarian I met, the 
sheriff harassed the staff at a small, rural library.  They 
refered him to her.  She told him that her hands were tied: she 
was forbidden by law from doing what he asked.  He went away.  I 
have heard of other librarians in other states going to jail, 
having no law to fall back on.
 
Also, here in Livingston County, we have MANUAL cards.  You write 
your name.  I can look at any book and see who read it.  This is 
a violation of the law.  Since no remedies obtain, I can't get a 
lawyer interested.  My protest to the library was met with "We 
are changing. It will take some time."   Furthermore, when 
working onsite at a Ford Motor Company plant in Louisville, I 
discoverd that the Shelby County Library also relies on hand-
written checkout cards.  However, here in Fowlerville, the 
librarian instituted card numbers several years ago, so our 
village of 3,000 is in compliance.  Is yours?