February 26, 2003
A couple agents from the Secret Service stopped by yesterday, investigating something for which they needed access to our systems. All the while I kept thinking how little I know about what they can and cannot legitimately expect from us. I wasn't directly involved so I don't know what they were asking for or whether they had or even needed a warrant. The USA Patriot Act changed a whole lot, including emergency situations in which a warrant is deemed unnecessary. Librarians might be aware of the changes, but I don't think that techies in the trench are. I hope that management is.
Pity that our IT conference has been cancelled, this would make a good session.
The agents were nice guys, though, clean-cut snappy dressers with a good sense of humor. Not a jack-booted thug in sight. I didn't get a good look, but they were apparently quite handsome: one woman said she was trying to type but the guy standing next to her was so cute that her hands were sweating. Heh.
