SarahL writes “Joan Airoldi, a librarian and library director in rural Washington State who challenged an FBI effort to search patron records, as the recipient of this year’s prestigious PEN/Newman’s Own First Amendment Award.
Here’s a link to a copy of the press release from Pen/Newman’s Own (yes that’s Paul Newman)”
Three cheers for Joan!
For showing that the true patriot spirit is alive and well in America’s small towns! Let’s hear for freedom and against the “trust us, we’re the government” mentality.
Not to be a wet blanket
But it seems that saying no to anyone, including the FBI, who asks for patron records without benefit of a court order should be standard practice for any librarian.
Moving to quash a subpoena was the boards decision, and indeed a wise one. I am of the impression that all subpoenas should be contested as I feel most are fishing expiditions- even the ones I get at home (I get a few from being an RN).
I would have done the same thing, but heck any librarian could use a few bucks so I say way to go! Librarians ain’t gonna take no crap from the feds, thats why we have lawyers.
patron records vs patron’s record
Good for her, she did the right thing. This has nothing to do with a trust-the-government mentality. There is a significant difference between checking up on a specific person and just doing a general scattershot approach.