Death Threat Woes

cadieux@librarybook.com
Sat, 25 Oct 1997 19:56:56 -0400

Date: Sat, 25 Oct 1997 19:56:56 -0400
Message-Id: <3.0.32.19971025200124.007ab710@librarybook.com>
From: cadieux@librarybook.com
To: Multiple recipients of list <conntech>
Subject: Death Threat Woes

Forwarding this to conntech from the web4lib list at:
http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Web4Lib/

>Date:	Sat, 25 Oct 1997 07:53:59 -0700
>From: Michael Dargan <darganm@iren.net>
>Subject: Death Threat Woes
>
>Yesterday morning my ISP informed me that someone using one my library's 
>computers used a form on the Whitehouse website to transmit a death 
>threat to the President.  It appears that we're likely to soon hear from 
>a Secret Service agent who may or may not have some sharp questions for 
>us.  
>
>Currently we do not authenticate use of our public Internet 
>workstations.  A patron who wishes to use a machine is simply assigned a 
>machine by a librarian.  If we're busy, the librarian asks for a name 
>which is then written on a waiting list.  There's no way for us to tell 
>who used a particular machine three weeks ago at 10:35 a.m.
>
>How obligated are libraries to keep records of Internet workstation use?  
>Should we be scanning library cards into a spreadsheet and keeping track 
>of times and specific PCs?  How long should such records be kept?  Who's 
>entitled to see them?  
>
>---
>Michael J. Dargan                               office: 319 291 4496
>Technical Systems Administrator                    fax: 319 291 6736
>Waterloo and Cedar Falls Public Libraries         Waterloo, IA 50701