THE FBI LIBRARY AWARENESS PROGRAM

WHEREAS, the right of all individuals to full and confidential access to the unclassified materials in U.S. academic and research libraries is being undermined by an FBI program innocuously labeled the Library Awareness Program, in which library staff are expected to monitor "suspicious" library patrons and report on what or how library resources are being used; and

WHEREAS, librarians' code of ethics, as well as laws in 38 states, prohibit the disclosure of patron names in connection with requests for information; and

WHEREAS, many professional associations, such as the American library Association, the Special Library Association, the Association of Research Libraries and the Research Libraries Group have spoken out in strong opposition to the Library Awareness Program; and

WHEREAS, a free and democratic society requires the uninhibited exchange of all ideas and information:

RESOLVED, that the AFT convention condemn the efforts by the FBI to violate the privacy of library users and to intimidate or recruit librarians or other library staff to conspire with its Library Awareness Program, and urge the AFT to encourage public and Congressional opposition to the FBI's actions.