Librarians Demonstrate Silently Against Patriot Act

-- Library Journal, 10/03/2005

Librarians wore gags emblazoned NSL (for "National Security Letter") at a demonstration on September 28 to urge the Justice Department to lift a gag order on "John Doe," the unidentified Connecticut library client of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which has challenged the act in court. While a federal court judge ruled in favor of "John Doe," the decision was immediately appealed. "America's librarians urge Attorney General [Alberto] Gonzales to let John Doe speak," said Michael Gorman, president of the ALA.

The suit challenges the National Security Letter provision of the Patriot Act, which authorizes the FBI to demand a range of records without court approval, including library records and the identity of people who have used library computers. Among the speakers: Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Reps. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and Bernard Sanders (I-VT). The New York Times reported that, while the Connecticut library client was officially not named, court records suggest that it is the consortium Library Connection in Windsor, CT.