Library Policy Hurts Privacy, Patron Says

"I could stand there all day and look at what everyone's reading, and no one would stop me," Jaffa said. And indeed, no one did. No one appeared to even notice.

"What if I see that a neighbor has books on how to build a bomb? Is he a terrorist? Do I tell somebody?" Jaffa said. "What if I see someone I know is checking out books on getting a divorce. Suppose I start talking to friends asking if there's something going on? Or if someone's getting books on cancer, and I see her and say, 'Hey Mary, do you have cancer? I saw you checked out three books on it?' "

Jaffa said the only thing that has surprised him is that no one else seems as bothered that their privacy could be so easily invaded.

During Jaffa's demonstration, Eileen Bradley came by to pick up her reserved books. Was she worried about her privacy?

"No," she shrugged. "This is very simple. It's an easy way to get your books. It never even occurred to me. These days, people can find out anything they want about you. There's no privacy anymore. Just go on the Internet and see what comes up."

She, however, drew the line at the government knowing. And, the more she thought of it, Jaffa's suggestions to stop using patrons' full names began to make sense. "That sounds reasonable," she said. "It's not that I have zero concern. And you're asking for a minor adjustment."

Diane Kresh, director of libraries, said the self checkout and easy access to books on hold is the direction many libraries are taking, including some in Fairfax, Montgomery and Anne Arundel counties. She said the county has addressed Jaffa's concerns. "We have to balance one person's complaint with meeting the majority of our patrons' needs."

Back at the library, Jaffa, a consultant and retired psychologist, said the new policy won't keep him from reserving the two to three books a week he reads. But he said he won't be happy until he knows no one can rifle through them and figure out what he reads.

Has he ever seen anyone do that?

"No," he said. "But it can be done. And that's what bothers me."