Confidentiality and the USA PATRIOT Act

• Reports and Other Documents
• The USA PATRIOT Act: Q & A

Your Records and Activities at the Library

The Minneapolis Public Library keeps only the minimum number of records necessary for maintaining operations. Information about your patron record, research, or other activities at the Minneapolis Public Library is not released to anyone--including other government agencies, whether local, state or federal-- without an order from a court of competent jurisdiction. You can read the full Data Privacy Policy of the Minneapolis Public Library online.

The USA PATRIOT Act

The Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act (USA PATRIOT Act) became law on Oct. 26, 2001, and was renewed on March 9, 2006. Under the act, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and law enforcement officials can seek court orders for Library records for investigations relevant to national security or terrorism. Library staff who are served with these search warrants are not allowed to say anything about the warrants or whether any records were turned over to law enforcement. Library staff cannot tell you that your records were given to law enforcement agencies or that you have been the subject of an FBI investigation.

Many provisions of the PATRIOT Act, including the section that relates to libraries, expire automatically on Dec. 31, 2009, unless Congress decides to renew them before that date.

More Information

• Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT ACT) Act of 2001 (full text at thomas.loc.gov)
• American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom
• Minneapolis Public Library Data Privacy Policy (adopted January 7, 1998)
• Minnesota Government Data Practices 13.40
• The USA PATRIOT Act: Q & A