Statement from ALA on the destruction of DOJ documents

American Library Association ^ | 07/30/04 | Michael Gorman

[Kahonek]

Statement from ALA President-Elect Michael Gorman on the destruction of Department of Justice documents

CHICAGO -- The following statement has been issued by President-Elect Michael Gorman, representing President Carol Brey-Casiano, who is currently in Guatemala representing the Association:

Last week, the American Library Association learned that the Department of Justice asked the Government Printing Office Superintendent of Documents to instruct depository libraries to destroy five publications the Department has deemed not "appropriate for external use." The Department of Justice has called for these five public documents, two of which are texts of federal statutes, to be removed from depository libraries and destroyed, making their content available only to those with access to a law office or law library.

The topics addressed in the named documents include information on how citizens can retrieve items that may have been confiscated by the government during an investigation. The documents to be removed and destroyed include: Civil and Criminal Forfeiture Procedure; Select Criminal Forfeiture Forms; Select Federal Asset Forfeiture Statutes; Asset forfeiture and money laundering resource directory; and Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 (CAFRA).

ALA has submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for the withdrawn materials in order to obtain an official response from the Department of Justice regarding this unusual action, and why the Department has requested that documents that have been available to the public for as long as four years be removed from depository library collections. ALA is committed to ensuring that public documents remain available to the public and will do its best to bring about a satisfactory resolution of this matter.

Librarians should note that, according to policy 72, written authorization from the Superintendent of Documents is required to remove any documents. To this date no such written authorization in hard copy has been issued.

[Kahonek]

Anybody know what's up with this? A friend of mine who is a librarian was pretty upset when she came across it. I don't like the way it looks.

[HAL9000]

August 2, 2004 - ALA welcomes Department of Justice decision to rescind destruction request

[wrathof59]

More of that Vast Right Wing Conspiracy, better check under your beds before going to sleep tonight (and remove the tin foil hat also, they take over an hour to make from scratch).

[elbucko]

I don't like the way it looks.

Neither do I, but then consider the source. The American Library Association is up to its Dewey Decimal System in Lefty's, perverts and just plain subversives. I wouldn't doubt if this is a planted "Press Release" that has little substance.

[Kahonek]

Thanks, HAL. My friend apparently hadn't seen the update. I'm still not that happy that it happened in the first place. Hopefully the flunky who came up with the original idea got an earful...

[PAR35]

Your information appears to be outdated. The Depository Libraries can order replacements here:

http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/tools/webclaim-doj.html

Special DoJ Web Claim

This special Web claim form is to be used to obtain replacement copies of Department of Justice publications that Federal depository libraries were advised to destroy. To receive these publications, libraries must submit claims by September 1, 2004.

Your depository library number:
(e.g. 0042-A)

Your e-mail address:

Publication(s) to be claimed:

Asset Forfeiture And Money Laundering Resource Directory
J 1.89/3:M 74/2004
Item no. 0717-A-11
Shipping list no. 2004-0120-P, dated 3/24/2004

Civil and Criminal Forfeiture Procedure
J 1.2:C 49/17
Item no. 0717
Shipping list 2004-0276-M, dated 5/7/2004

Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 (CAFRA), PL no. 106-185, 114 Stat. 202 (2000)
J 1.2:C 49/16
Item 0717
Shipping list 2000-0367-P, dated 9/23/2000

Select Criminal Forfeiture Forms
J 1.2:F 76/8
Item no. 0717
Shipping list 2004-0038-P, dated 12/01/2003

Select Federal Asset Forfeiture Statutes
J 1.2:AS 7/2/2004
Item no. 0717
Shipping list no. 2004-0077-P, dated 2/5/2004

[GOP_1900AD]

Any one want the phone number of the leftist whacko who started this? I'll post it a bit later today. MAAAHHHAHHHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[Spok]

Aha! The infamous Rose Law Firm paper shredder surfaces again!

[Kahonek]

Thanks. I don't think that she had actually followed through yet, but I'll let her know about the link...

[ScottFromSpokane]

It's government. You know, the one that these same lefty librarians undoubtedly want to run America's health care system.

[PAR35]

. The American Library Association is up to its Dewey Decimal System in Lefty's

Yes, a little bit of their liberal agenda is showing. For example, the statute alone is available from a number of online sources, the information is out of date, and any librarian that doesn't know how to Google probably needs to find another line of work.

[GOP_1900AD]

Here y'all go: Keith Michael Fiels, Executive Director
American Library Association, (800) 545-2433 ext.1392. Marxist Bush-hating librarians deserve to hear from us.

[Kahonek]

Well thanks, I guess. However, I don't think it's appropriate to shoot the messenger in this case. There're plenty of other reasons to get upset with the ALA. At the time this press release was put out, it was apparently accurate. It was pretty stupid of some yahoo over at Justice to put the Department in the position of having to reverse itself over this. Obviously, Bush had no involvement in the whole thing. It was a dumb idea at a lower level.

[steplock]

To those on here who sneer and jeer when we try to tell you that there WERE previous laws BANNING americans from receivng foreign titles (Sir, Knight, Esq)

Laws disallowing dual citizenship, you had to renounce your old.

Laws that banned lawyers from serving in congress since they are officially "officers of the court" etc....

Are you STILL sneering and jeering after this?

"Last week, the American Library Association learned that the Department of Justice asked the Government Printing Office Superintendent of Documents to instruct depository libraries to destroy five publications the Department has deemed not "appropriate for external use." The Department of Justice has called for these five public documents, two of which are texts of federal statutes, to be removed from depository libraries and destroyed, making their content available only to those with access to a law office or law library. "


THIS is how history is re-written and the ignorant forget....

[steplock]

sneer and ridicule all the way to the stalag, comrade.

"Gentlemen, Comrades, do not be concerned about all you hear about glasnost and perestroika and democracy in the coming years. These are primarily for outward consumption. There will be no significant internal change within the Soviet Union, other than for cosmetic purposes. Our purpose is to disarm the Americans and let them fall asleep".
Mikhail Gorbachev, President of the Soviet Union, to the Politburo in Nov 1987.