The PATRIOT ACT and Illinois Libraries |
| The Library Research Center surveyed all public and academic libraries in Illinois for which it had valid email addresses. The web-based survey was delivered by an email invitation sent on September 3rd, with a follow-up email reminder on September 15th. Additionally, the LRC sent a paper mail follow up on November 3rd, 2003. |
| The Library Research Center received a list of 795 public and 189 academic libraries. Of these, there were valid and unique addresses for 531 public and 148 academic library directors. |
| Of those contacted, 465 (87.6%) of public and 120 (81.1%) of academic libraries submitted the survey. Although these response rates are unusually high, we believe it can be attributed to the importance of the survey content to library directors and the multiple modes (paper and web-based) employed. Furthermore, it must be noted that the response rates are for all Illinois libraries contacted-- not the total number of Illinois public and academic libraries. |
| Since the events of 9/11/01, has your library... | ||
Question 1 |
Issued any memoranda/guidelines
to staff regarding provisions of the USA Patriot Act? |
|
Public |
Academic |
|
Yes |
217 (47.4%) |
40 (33.3%) |
No |
241 (52.6%) |
80 (66.7%) |
Question 2 |
Reviewed with staff Illinois library
law that states, The registration and circulation records of a
library are confidential information. Except pursuant to a court
order, no person shall publish or make any information contained
in such records available to the public? |
|
Public |
Academic |
|
Yes |
386 (84.3%) |
83 (69.2%) |
No |
72 (15.7%) |
37 (30.8%) |
Question 3 |
Consulted with any outside experts
(e.g., police, security consultants) regarding the security of
your library building(s) and premises? |
|
Public |
Academic |
|
Yes |
112 (24.3%) |
22 (18.3%) |
No |
349 (75.7%) |
98 (81.7%) |
Question 4 |
Does the library have a formal
(written) policy or set of guidelines on how to handle a search
warrant or subpoena from law enforcement?(If "NO" please
skip to question 5) |
|
Public |
Academic |
|
Yes |
134 (29.3%) |
19 (16.0%) |
No |
324 (70.7%) |
100(84.0%) |
Question 4a |
Which employees are informed how
to handle a search warrant or subpoena (circle all that apply)? |
|
Public |
Academic |
|
Professional librarians |
103 |
16 |
| Library management |
115 |
18 |
| Full time paraprofessional staff |
79 |
16 |
| Part-time paraprofessional staff |
73 |
13 |
| Hourly employees |
71 |
13 |
| Other (please explain) |
17 |
6 |
Question 5 |
Does your library post any public
notice to users about provisions of the USA Patriot Act? |
|
Public |
Academic |
|
Yes |
43 (9.4%) |
3 (2.5%) |
No |
415 (90.6%) |
117 (97.5%) |
Question 6 |
Has your library adopted or changed
any library policies as a consequence of/or to address concerns
related to the passage of the USA Patriot Act?(If "NO,"
please skip to question 7) |
|
Public |
Academic |
|
Yes |
95 (20.7%) |
15 (12.6%) |
No |
363 (79.3%) |
104 (87.4%) |
Question 6a |
In what areas has your library
created or changed policies as a consequence of the USA Patriot
Act? |
|
Public |
Academic |
|
Internet use policy |
37 |
5 |
| Patron privacy |
42 |
6 |
| Retention of library records |
53 |
10 |
| Other (please explain) |
18 |
4 |
| No Response |
374 |
105 |
Question 7 |
Are you aware of any concern of
patrons about their privacy rights under the USA Patriot Act? |
|
Public |
Academic |
|
Yes |
83 (18.1%) |
17 (14.3%) |
No |
375 (81.9%) |
102 (85.7%) |
Question 8 |
Have authorities (e.g., FBI, INS,
police officers) requested any kind of information about any of
your patrons since Sept. 11, 2001? (if "NO" please skip
to Q9) |
|
Public |
Academic |
|
Yes |
27 (6.0%) |
6 (5.0%) |
No |
425 (94%) |
114 (95.0%) |
Question 8a |
Since 9/11/01 how many requests
for information about patrons or circulation records have you
received from any type of law enforcement official? |
|
Public |
Academic |
|
One |
15 |
5 |
| Two |
5 |
0 |
| Three |
3 |
0 |
| Four |
1 |
0 |
| Other (please specify number) |
0 |
0 |
| Five |
1 |
0 |
| No Response |
440 |
115 |
Question 8b |
Who requested information? (Circle
all that apply) |
|
Public |
Academic |
|
FBI |
7 |
0 |
| INS |
0 |
0 |
| Other Federal Agency (beside INS or FBI) |
1 |
0 |
| Police |
17 |
4 |
| Other (please specify) |
3 |
2 |
| No Response |
441 |
115 |
Question 8c |
How many of these requests were
in reference to national security? (if "NONE" please
skip to Q9) |
|
Public |
Academic |
|
None |
16 |
2 |
| One |
6 |
3 |
| Two |
2 |
0 |
| Three |
0 |
0 |
| Four |
0 |
0 |
| Five |
0 |
0 |
| Other (please specify number) |
0 |
0 |
| No Response |
441 |
115 |
Question 8d |
How many national security related
requests were accompanied by a subpoena or search warrant? |
|
Public |
Academic |
|
None |
8 |
2 |
| One |
0 |
0 |
| Two |
0 |
0 |
| Three |
0 |
0 |
| Four |
0 |
0 |
| Five |
0 |
0 |
| Other (please specify number) |
0 |
0 |
| No Response |
457 |
118 |
Question 8e |
If you did have any voluntary requests,
with how many did you comply? |
|
Public |
Academic |
|
None |
3 |
2 |
| One |
3 |
0 |
| Two |
0 |
0 |
| Three |
1 |
0 |
| Four |
0 |
0 |
| Five |
0 |
0 |
| Other (please specify number) |
0 |
0 |
| No Response |
458 |
118 |
Question 8f |
How many of the national security
related requests for patron information were for voluntary release
of information? |
|
Public |
Academic |
|
None |
1 |
0 |
| One |
7 |
2 |
| Two |
0 |
0 |
| Three |
0 |
0 |
| Four |
0 |
0 |
| Five |
0 |
0 |
| Other (please specify number) |
0 |
0 |
| No Response |
457 |
118 |
Question 8g |
Did any of the court orders reference
Section 215 of the Patriot Act or Title 50, Section 1862 of the
United States Code? |
|
Public |
Academic |
|
Yes |
0 |
0 |
| No |
4 |
2 |
| Don't Know/Unsure |
4 |
0 |
| No Response |
457 |
118 |
Question 9 |
At the 2003 Midwinter Conference,
the American Library Association adopted a Resolution on the USA
Patriot Act that includes the following statement: "ALA considers
that sections of the USA PATRIOT ACT are a present danger to the
constitutional rights and privacy rights of library users."
Is it appropriate for ALA to have taken this position or not? |
|
Public |
Academic |
|
Yes |
354 (89.6%) |
107 (94.7%) |
No |
41 (10.4%) |
6 (5.3%) |
Question 10-Public Libraries |
Think back to a library-related
policy decision you made recently. How much influence did each
of the following have when you made that decision? (Rank on a
scale of 1 to 4, with 1 being "no influence at all"
and 4 being "a great deal of influence") |
|
Mean |
Median |
|
| Beliefs of my geographic community |
2.97 |
3 |
| Beliefs of my staff |
2.81 |
3 |
| My personal beliefs |
2.3 |
3 |
| American Library Association policy |
2.57 |
3 |
| Illinois Library Association policy |
2.58 |
3 |
| Beliefs of my library's governing body |
3.54 |
4 |
Question 10 - Academic Libraries |
Think back to a library-related
policy decision you made recently. How much influence did each
of the following have when you made that decision? (Rank on a
scale of 1 to 4, with 1 being "no influence at all"
and 4 being "a great deal of influence") |
|
Mean |
Median |
|
| Beliefs of my geographic community |
2.12 |
2 |
| Beliefs of my staff |
2.77 |
3 |
| My personal beliefs |
2.9 |
3 |
| American Library Association policy |
2.54 |
3 |
| Illinois library Association policy |
2.18 |
2 |
| Beliefs of my library's governing body |
2.88 |
3 |
| The college/univresity administration |
3.22 |
3 |
| The faculty of my institution |
3.13 |
3 |
| The students of my institution |
3.04 |
3 |
Question 11 - Public Libraries |
Librarians often have to negotiate
the competing expectations of different groups. Please rate the
following groups along the political spectrum: (Rate from 1 to
7, with 1 being "very conservative" and 7 being "very
liberal") |
|
Mean |
Median |
|
| People in my geographic community |
3.09 |
3 |
| Staff of my library |
3.63 |
4 |
| My personal beliefs |
4.29 |
4 |
| American Library Association |
5.37 |
6 |
| Illinois Library Association |
5.03 |
5 |
Question 11 - Academic Libraries |
Librarians often have to negotiate
the competing expectations of different groups. Please rate the
following groups along the political spectrum: (Rate from 1 to
7, with 1 being "very conservative" and 7 being "very
liberal") |
|
Mean |
Median |
|
| People in my geographic community |
3.4 |
4 |
| Staff of my library |
4.33 |
4 |
| My personal beliefs |
5.18 |
6 |
| American Library Association |
5.72 |
6 |
| Illinois library Association |
5.34 |
6 |
| The college/univresity administration |
4.01 |
4 |
| The faculty of my institution |
4.73 |
5 |
| The students of my institution |
4.12 |
4 |
Question 12 |
Are there any questions in this
survey that you did not answer, or did not answer completely,
because you believe you are prohibited by the USA Patriot Act
from doing so? |
|
Public |
Academic |
|
Yes |
12 (2.6%) |
2 (1.7%) |
No |
428 (92.0%) |
114 (95.0%) |
No Response |
25 (5.4%) |
4 (3.3%) |
|