Posted on 02/05/2007 9:17:13 PM PST by plan2succeed.org
We're talking about library books here, not a secret Swiss bank account. Geez. He said, "as long as you're going to the library, would you mind picking up my books at the hold desk." When I got home he said, "where are my books?" I said, "the library won't give them to me because it's an invasion of your privacy." He said, "Son of a bitch! What kind of anal control freaks are they over there?"
BTW, since then we have filled out the paperwork and signed the release forms that "allows" us to pick up each other's books so the librarians don't have to worry about "invasion of privacy" when checking out the latest Vince Flynn thriller.
You must really be the Library Nazi. "No books for you!"
In my mind library books are even more important than money so I do see a higher issue of privacy. The books you read reflect what you are thinking and what you are planning. Money is just money.
An example will need to be made? Her life was not at stake, her identity was. What if the example that is far more common is that the caller is an estranged lover or stalker trying to find out information that should be private?
Our private information is held by lots of entities these days... libraries, banks, credit card companies, stores. I don't think this 'example' you want to create is that anyone, police included, can call up and have access to your private information without some due process.
Agreed, and it's rather bizarre. If this were another story about cops trying to get personal information, without a warrant, from the library on a citizen, the librarian would be the hero.
Unless your life savings is invested in rare volumes, books are just dead trees.
But name, address, birthdate, and potentially even the last four digits of your SSN, all information that potentially held by the library as "ID" is enough information to get money out of your bank over the phone.
They've come up with policies to not release information because information has value to people, and identity theft is real. It caused a slow-down in this case that amounted to about 10 minutes. Not bad if you ask me.
I guess I should distinguish between the physical artifact of a book, which is indeed "dead trees", and the symbol expressed by the book, which is an idea that springs from the creative mind of a person. If that is not more important to you than money then we don't have much common ground to discuss the relevance of libraries.
Dead tree libraries will eventually become obsolete as books are converted to digital format.
You're still missing the point. I'm talking about the difference between a thing and an idea (which might be represented by a thing). I wholeheartedly agree that the "dead tree" libraries will become more and more obsolete as we turn more toward digital versions (much to the delight of Al Gore and the rest of the tree huggers).
The thing that I'm calling a book will be the same thing whether it be written by hand on parchment, printed by a Gutenberg printing press, bought online at Amazon.com, checked out of a library, listened to on a CD, or read online. It is that idea which is expressed that I am calling a "book".
I tried to respond to you intelligently and thoughtfully and explain the issues involved. It's obvious my time was wasted.
Good. See, they provide a perfect solution to your situation. So what's the problem with that? Are you honestly so obtuse you can't see the other side? You can't understand that there are privacy concerns and that until you sign that form they can't just give your books to someone else in your household?
Just because you and your husband are taking out innocuous novels and don't care if your spouse picks it up for you doesn't mean everyone is in the same situation. The library, like every other institution, has rules to protect personal information and privacy. I can tell you of many examples I've seen in which someone wouldn't want their spouse picking up their books without their consent. You've both now given your written consent and are now free to pick up each other's books. Again, where's the problem with that?
Privacy doesn't have to extend to potentially volatile subjects like divorce or abuse. Some people might not want a spouse to know they are "wasting" time reading harlequin romance novels. I have often seen people on the subway when I've visited New York who are reading books with a brown paper cover over them because they (for whatever reason) don't want people to know what they are reading.
And not everybody who shares an address are a happily married couple who blithely share every aspect of their lives. Should children have access to material their parents are reading (like books about impotence or other sexual matters)?
You are welcome for the tip on the ALA's training program for lawyers.
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