Features

Public libraries in the United States stand on three principles: The first is patron confidentiality, the idea that every one may use the library in privacy, that everything you read is personal and private. The second is intellectual freedom, the idea t hat you may read, view and listen broadly: that all ideas should be available to discuss and to learn from, even those which are repugnant to society as a whole. The third principle is equal access to information. In the U.S., this means that public libra ries are free, that all may use the library regardless of economic, social or other barriers. Librarians and library supporters have felt so strongly about these ideas that we have written them into state law. In California, libraries are forbidden from sharing information about a library user’s record unless presented with a subpoena; and libraries may not charge fees for basic services. 

Recently, Berkeley has been talking a lot about Radio Frequency Identification tags (RFID) in the public library and the very real concerns that the library’s users have about their right to privacy when checking out material. The library staff began these same discussions well over a year ago when considering the purchase of RFID technology. A staff committee, consisti ng of line staff, union stewards, supervisors, and managers, learned all that they could about RFID. When questions about privacy were raised, the committee asked Lee Tien of the Electronic Freedom Foundation to speak to staff about his concerns. They tal ked to specialists in the field of technology and privacy. When preparing the RFID bid specification, they emphasized the need for privacy protection of library users. The selected vendor’s chip holds only a bar code for each book, with no information about the book; and no library user can search the library database by barcode. The tags themselves are small; their signal is weak, not able to be read at more than 18 inches. 

Berkeley Public Library has been holding positions vacant as staff have retired or resigned, thus avoiding more cuts to the book budget and reducing the level of potential staff layoffs. However, with reduced staffing, it is sometimes difficult to keep libraries opened, even at current, reduced hours. The RFID system will help the li brary to keep its current hours. It will also help to minimize repetitive stress injury and allow staff to focus on its users. All of this will provide significant value, consistent with the three principles of the U.S. public libraries, to Berkeley’s cit izens, and the system costs will be spread over five years, paying $120,000 annually. 

While we have focused on the first principle, confidentiality, of public libraries, we need to look at the other principles, intellectual freedom and access. In the past year, the Berkeley Public Library has had to reduce its collection budget—for books and other materials—by $300,000. We have also had to reduce hours at all five library facilities.  

These actions can have tremendous impact on those principles and the library’s users. A commitment to intellectual freedom requires that the library purchase widely in all subject areas, which the Berkeley community has allowed. When a library reduces its collection budget, the less popular materials are likely to be bypas sed in purchases—those items are the ones that reflect interests or beliefs held by a minority of people. Some ideas will be left unexplored because the resources are not available and collection gaps thus created are almost never refilled. As a result, l ibrary users will find less choice and depth when they want to explore ideas. 

Equal access to information, the third principle, means, at the least, that public libraries do not charge for basic services so, no matter what your income, you are a sovereig n in the world of public library information. It also means that public libraries, along with public schools, are the most immediate and effective responses to the very real concern about a digital divide. With access to good collections of books and unfi ltered access to the Internet and databases, no adult or child is less fortunate than another when it comes to the world of information. However, when the only access to that information is cut, as it has been here in Berkeley, by shortened hours and reduced acquisitions, that divide looms large and the ideals of intellectual freedom and access to information are threatened.  

I would like to thank the Berkeley community for vigilance in support of patron confidentiality. The Board of Library Trustees of the Berkeley Public Library now asks you to join us in finding solutions that preserve the intellectual freedom and library access principles that keep libraries alive in Berkeley. 

Laura Anderson is president of the Berkeley Public Library Board of Trus tees.›