[Michlib-l] First Amendment Audit

[Steven Kish]

I am curious if there is a governing body for these and who they are.

As a former bank manager, I am not unfamiliar with being audited but there
was always a governing body (either the bank itself or an official
governmental body like the Office of the Comptroller of Currency) that was
executing an audit for regulatory purposes. I am all for protecting patron
privacy, but there is also an employee privacy issue to consider if an
ungoverned third party is allowed unobstructed access to back of house
operations. My employees were aware that there were cameras everywhere (it
was a bank, after all) but we also knew for certain who had access to the
images captured on those cameras and what they were used for.

As for looking for certain items in a collection... it is the library's job
to audit the collection, not some third party. There is a method and a
process. I would have asked what data the auditors were using to determine
that the requested item should be part of the collection. I would have also
asked them both for ID, contact information and recorded it and asked them
to clear it with the library's legal team before letting them access the
facility.

My two cents.

Steven

PS. Please be mindful that all MichLib emails are recorded and Google
searchable when replying to this post.


On Wed, Jan 12, 2022 at 9:38 AM SF Director Account via Michlib-l <
michlib-l at mcls.org> wrote:

> Good morning,
>
> I have never heard of this. Why is the *U.S. Constitution for Dummies* a
> book they would ask about? Is there a process or procedure for how
> libraries should act or react to this group? You mention being respectful
> but anything else?
>
> Any assistance in this for me to inform my staff would very helpful.
>
> Matt Lubbers-Moore
>
> ------------------------------
> *From: *"Perri Saunders via Michlib-l" <michlib-l at mcls.org>
> *To: *"michlib-l" <michlib-l at mcls.org>
> *Sent: *Tuesday, January 11, 2022 1:28:09 PM
> *Subject: *[Michlib-l] First Amendment Audit
>
> Just had our first First Amendment Audit.  It went very well, actually.
>
> I spotted them before they came in so we could gather ourselves for a
> minute - make sure no patron names were on screens, and the reserve shelf
> had no names showing, etc.
> Two people (man and woman) came in with cameras.  I welcomed them from the
> circ desk as I would anyone else (maybe a *little* more
> enthusiastically).  The man asked if we had the U.S. Constitution for
> Dummies and we talked about that a little.
>
> I offered to show them around, but they just wanted to walk around and
> film.  We only had one patron in here at the time, so when the man started
> that way, I just told him that he was welcome to film anywhere in the
> public areas as long as he didn't interfere with other patrons' enjoyment
> of the library.
>
> We were respectful and, in turn, they were respectful, so it went just
> fine.  They were here for about 15 minutes.  I won't lie - it felt like
> longer.
>
> I know that this man, FRICN MEDIA, has lots of 1st Amendment Audit videos
> on YouTube,  many of which turned confrontational.  We were welcoming,
> forthcoming, and really boring.  Score!
>
> Like Kate Andrade said, "It's not if, it's when".  We might as well be
> prepared.
>
> Have a great day!
> Perri
>
> --
> Perri Saunders, Director
> White Pigeon Township Library
> 102 N. Kalamazoo St., P.O. Box 399
> White Pigeon, MI 49099
> 269-483-7409
> *p.saunders at woodlands.lib.mi.us <p.saunders at woodlands.lib.mi.us> *
>
> *Brighten the corner where you are.*
>
> _______________________________________________
> Michlib-l mailing list
> Michlib-l at mcls.org
> https://mail3.mcls.org/mailman/listinfo/michlib-l
>
> --
> Matt Lubbers-Moore, Director
> Fruitport District Library
> (231) 366-6107
> www.fruitportdistrictlibrary.org
> _______________________________________________
> Michlib-l mailing list
> Michlib-l at mcls.org
> https://mail3.mcls.org/mailman/listinfo/michlib-l
>


-- 


*Steven Kish*


*Reference LibrarianLawrence Technological University Library*

*Email <library at ltu.edu>, call <2482043000>or 24/7 chat with
<https://libguides.ltu.edu/247help> the LTU Library (fastest)*
*Direct email: skish at ltu.edu <skish at ltu.edu> (will reply my next scheduled
shift)*
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