Wisconsin Law Hinders Lewd Library Case

AP via SFGate ^ | 4/17/7

[SmithL]

Neenah, Wis. (AP) -- A law protecting library records' confidentiality has hamstrung officials pursuing a man who reportedly masturbated among the books at the Neenah Public Library earlier this month. City Attorney James Godlewski said the library can't turn a surveillance video of the man over to police without a court order.

"That is state law," Godlewski said Monday. "The library is merely following what state law says."

The Wisconsin attorney general's office said in a Nov. 27 opinion that library surveillance videos fall under the state's public library records confidentiality law. The law prevents libraries from releasing records that indicate a library user's identity unless someone's life or safety is at risk.

A library patron saw the April 2 incident and reported it to a reference librarian, who called police. But the suspect left before he was identified.

[Dilbert San Diego]

Hopefully they can catch him. I guess he finished up his task and then left the library???

[rellimpank]

—America’s librarians—protecting us from John Ashcroft-—(sarc)—

[Jeff Chandler]

—America’s librarians—protecting us from John Ashcroft-—(sarc)—

BINGO!