The Albuquerque Tribune: Local
Udall's book law gets cheers
Bill would halt library record searches
By Jakob Schiller
Tribune Reporter
June 17, 2005
Local librarians, bookstore owners and civil libertarians applauded U.S. Rep. Tom Udall on Thursday after the House passed an amendment he co-sponsored that prohibits the FBI from using the Patriot Act to search library and bookstore records.
"We're ecstatic that it at least passed through the House," said Camila Alire, dean of university libraries at the University of New Mexico.
Glen Loveland, press secretary for Udall, a Santa Fe Democrat, said the amendment, which is attached to an appropriations bill, will keep the FBI from spending any money to enforce Section 215 of the act, which allows for the searches.
The House passed the amendment by a vote of 238-187. In a press release, Udall commended both parties for their "deep concerns" over the issue.
A similar amendment to the appropriations bill lost last year after it tied in the House 210-210.
It is unclear how the Senate will approach the amendment, and the White House issued a statement saying President Bush will veto it if it reaches his desk, Loveland said.
Nonetheless, local book aficionados say Udall deserves credit.
"I'm very proud of Udall," said Nancy Rutland, owner of Bookworks, 4022 Rio Grande Blvd. N.W. "I think there is a chilling effect on people's freedoms when they think the government can see what they're reading."
Udall's office said Section 215 allows the FBI to conduct the searches in secret and without probable cause. It gives them access to library circulation records, library patron lists, book sales records and book customer lists.
Eileen Longsworth, the director of the Albuquerque and Bernalillo County library system, said people have told her they are afraid to read certain books because of the law.
"When you have the concept of the FBI looking over your shoulder, people feel constrained and they are not comfortable reading what they want to read," Longsworth said. The Patriot Act bars Longsworth from commenting on whether the FBI has ever searched any of the library's records.
She said local or state law enforcement officials sometimes ask to see library records, but they have to have a court-ordered subpoena as part of the New Mexico Library Privacy Act.
Udall's office said Section 215 along with 15 other provisions of the Patriot Act are set to expire at the end of the year. Both the House and the Senate are examining how to approach reauthorization, but Udall has pledged to maintain his amendment throughout, Loveland said.