ALA Council III
ALA Council Actions
ATTACHMENT 2 TO AS-2629-03/FGA - January 29, 2003
AS-2629-03/FGA
MOVED, The adoption of CD#20.1, Resolution on The USA PATRIOT ACT and Related
Measures that Infringe on the Rights of Library Users, which read: "That the American
Library Association opposes any use of governmental power to suppress the free and open
exchange of knowledge and information or to intimidate individuals exercising free inquiry;
that the American Library Association encourages all librarians, library administrators,
library governing bodies, and library advocates to educate their users, staff, and
communities about the process for compliance with the USA PATRIOT ACT and other related
measures and about the dangers to individual privacy and the confidentiality of library
records resulting from those measures; that the American Library Association urges
librarians everywhere to defend and support user privacy and free and open access to
knowledge and information; that the American Library Association will work with other
organizations, as appropriate, to protect the rights of inquiry and free expression; that
the American Library Association will take actions as appropriate to obtain and publicize
information about the surveillance of libraries and library users by law enforcement
agencies and to assess the impact on library users and their communities; that the American
Library Association urges all libraries to adopt and implement patron privacy and record
retention policies that affirm that 'the collection of personally identifiable information
should only be a matter of routine or policy when necessary for the fulfillment of the
mission of the library' (ALA Privacy: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights);
that the American Library Association urges the United States Congress to:
- Provide active oversight of the implementation of the USA PATRIOT ACT and other
related measures, and the revised Attorney General Guidelines to the Federal Bureau of
Investigation;
- Hold hearings to determine the extent of the surveillance on library users and
their communities; and
- Amend or change the sections of these laws and the guidelines that threaten or
abridge the rights of inquiry and free expression; and
That this resolution be forwarded to the President of the United States, to the Attorney
General of the United States, to Members of both Houses of Congress, to the library
community, and to others as appropriate."
DEFEATED, A motion to amend the third section of the seventh resolved clause of
CD#20.1, Resolution On The USA PATRIOT ACT and Related Measures that Infringe on the Rights
of Library Users, by adding the words "or eliminate..." It would then read:
"Amend, change or eliminate the sections of these laws and the guidelines that threaten
or abridge the rights of inquiry and free expression."
VOTED, To amend the seventh resolved clause of CD#20.1, Resolution On The USA Patriot
Act and Related Measures that Infringe on the Rights of Library Users, to read: "That
the American Library Association considers sections of the USA PATRIOT ACT are a present
danger to the constitutional rights and privacy rights of library users and urges the United
States Congress to..."
DEFEATED, A motion to amend the first section of the seventh resolved clause by
adding the words Homeland Security Act after the words USA PATRIOT ACT. It would then
read: "Provide active oversight of the implementation of the USA PATRIOT ACT, the
Homeland Security Act, and other related measures..."
VOTED, To adopt CD#20.1, Resolution On The USA PATRIOT ACT and Related Measures that
Infringe on the Rights of Library Users, as amended to read: "That the American Library
Association opposes any use of governmental power to suppress the free and open exchange of
knowledge and information or to intimidate individuals exercising free inquiry; that the
American Library Association encourages all librarians, library administrators, library
governing bodies, and library advocates to educate their users, staff, and communities about
the process for compliance with the USA PATRIOT ACT and other related measures and about the
dangers to individual privacy and the confidentiality of library records resulting from those
measures; that the American Library Association urges librarians everywhere to defend and
support user privacy and free and open access to knowledge and information; that the
American Library Association will work with other organizations, as appropriate, to protect
the rights of inquiry and free expression; that the American Library Association will
take actions as appropriate to obtain and publicize information about the surveillance of
libraries and library users by law enforcement agencies and to assess the impact on library
users and their communities; that the American Library Association urges all libraries to
adopt and implement patron privacy and record retention policies that affirm that "the
collection of personally identifiable information should only be a matter of routine or
policy when necessary for the fulfillment of the mission of the library" (ALA Privacy:
An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights); that the American Library Association
considers sections of the USA PATRIOT ACT are a present danger to the constitutional rights
and privacy rights of library users and urges the United States Congress to:
- Provide active oversight of the implementation of the USA PATRIOT ACT and other related
measures, and the revised Attorney General Guidelines to the Federal Bureau of
Investigation;
- Hold hearings to determine the extent of the surveillance on library users and their
communities; and
- Amend or change the sections of these laws and the guidelines that threaten or abridge
the rights of inquiry and free expression; and
That this resolution be forwarded to the President of the United States, to the Attorney
General of the United States, to Members of both Houses of Congress, to the library
community, and to others as appropriate."
January 29, 2003 |
