Pennsylvania Center for the Book

Privacy and the USA PATRIOT Act

The USA PATRIOT Act was passed by the 107th Congress in October after the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001. The act expands the powers of the federal government’s law enforcing agencies when investigating terrorism, foreign intelligence, or suspicions thereof.

As part of that expansion of power it allows federal law enforcement agents access to business records, such as bookstore or library patron accounts. This is a concern for many organizations in the library community because it has potential to violate privacy agreements already in place. Many feel that the civil liberties guaranteed by the Bill of Rights are threatened by the USA PATRIOT Act. According to the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution, “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated,” and thus the concern becomes defining “unreasonable” searches and seizures.

There are many invaluable sources of information on Privacy and the Patriot Act on the Internet. The Pennsylvania Center for the Book encourages you to familiarize yourself with the controversial USA PATRIOT Act and form an educated opinion of your own.

The USA PATRIOT Act can be read in its entirety at the Government Printing Office’s Web site.

A list of Pending Legislation Concerning the USA PATRIOT Act is maintained by the American Library Association.

Privacy, a page maintained by the Office of Intellectual Freedom of the American Library Association, highlights primary issues and legislation concerning privacy in the United States.

Additional USA PATRIOT Act resources provide by the American Library Association:

USA PATRIOT Act and Intellectual Freedom
http://www.ala.org/oif/ifissues/usapatriotact

State Privacy Laws Regarding Library Records
http://www.ala.org/oif/stateprivacylaws

USA PATRIOT Act Analyses
http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/ifissues/usapatriotactanalyses.htm

USA PATRIOT Act Search Warrant
http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/ifissues/usapatriotactsearch.htm

The Bill of Rights Defense Committee is an organization that encourages healthy debate about the USA PATRIOT Act and other legislation that threatens the civil liberties guaranteed to all American by the Bill of Rights.

The American Civil Liberties Union has made the USA PATRIOT Act a top priority.

The Library Bill of Rights as adopted by the American Library Association is a clear, well-written document that must be re-interpreted in the light of the USA PATRIOT Act.

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Penn State Libraries Center for the Book - Library of Congress