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Preston Sparks, Augusta Chronicle, 4/15/03
http://www.augustachronicle.com/stories/041503/met_045-5996.000.shtml

Keeping quiet is what libraries are all about. But lately, there has been a 
lot of talk at Augusta-area libraries concerning the Patriot Act.

"We're not trying to protect the terrorists or any criminal," said Gary 
Swint, the director of the East Central Georgia Regional Libraries, which 
services six counties including Richmond and Columbia. "It's just that we 
do need to make sure we follow the law so someone won't turn around and sue 
us for infringing on their privacy."

The worry is that requests for records through the new antiterrorism law 
could clash with the duty of a librarian to protect a patron's privacy.

Mr. Swint said local libraries will continue to require court order 
documents for FBI requests of a patron's Internet or book use. Documents 
such as Internet sign-in sheets also will continue to be shredded daily at 
Augusta libraries as part of state privacy laws...

"The Patriot Act has lowered the legal standard on how the FBI can obtain 
library records," said Deborah Caldwell-Stone, the deputy director of the 
Office for Intellectual Freedom of the American Library Association. "It's 
not gotten under probable cause. It's gotten under a much lower level."

The law also prevents librarians from telling someone a subpoena has been 
issued seeking their records.

Mr. Swint said Augusta libraries want to help law enforcement. But conflict 
occurred with at least two verbal requests for information from the FBI, 
once before and once soon after the Sept. 11 attacks, he said.

"He would not give me any specifics," Mr. Swint said of the agent's 
request, adding that the agent became agitated when he was denied records 
because he didn't have a court order.

"He told the staff downstairs that he was going to arrest me and take me to 
the FBI headquarters in Savannah."

Mr. Swint said the agent left, and since then, the FBI hasn't returned.