USA PATRIOT Act

The Georgetown University Main Campus, Medical and Law Center Libraries hosted the Washington, D.C. district videoconference on the USA PATRIOT Act ("Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act") on December 11, 2002. The Act contains new provisions governing criminal and foreign intelligence investigations and in so doing, affects state and local privacy laws and has major implications for libraries. Since its passage on October 26, 2001, many libraries have seen an increase in law enforcement inquiries. Authorities have sought access to patron records, including electronic mail and other electronic communications. The conference addressed the questions:

• What do the PATRIOT Act, the revised FBI Guidelines, and other Homeland Security measures mean for all types of librarians and library patrons?
• How should librarians respond to requests from law enforcement for patron information?
• What policies and procedures should be implemented at libraries?
• What tools or resources are available to help librarians understand the changing landscape and respond with confidence to law enforcement requests?

Further information on the videoconference can be found online.