CALEA and the Library

On May 14, 2007, the American University Library can no longer provide internet access to the general public.

The provisions of the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) have necessitated this change in our policies.

What is CALEA?

CALEA, enacted in 1994, requires that telephone companies ensure that their networks do not impede law enforcement agencies from setting up wiretaps. In 2005 the scope of the law was extended to include all “facilities-based” Internet service providers. However, the law has provisions that exempt private networks, such as those operated by many colleges and universities, from such regulation by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Neither the statute nor the FCC’s rules define the term. However, it’s strongly suggested that interconnected networks will be considered private when made available only to limited constituencies, rather than to the general public. Thus, campus networks that exclude the public at large, such as those that require University ID cards or password authentication, would likely be considered private.

To continue to offer access to the internet to the public at large, a service the AU Library has long offered, is to increase the likelihood that the campus network will be deemed “public” and thus subject to CALEA.

All current AU students, faculty and staff with computer accounts will be able to log in directly on any of the library’s public computers. The following affiliated groups are also eligible but will need to stop at the Information Desk and request to be logged in:

Students and faculty from WRLC member libraries and Wesley Seminary
AU alumni
OLLI Students and faculty
Associate borrowers
Friends of the Library (with borrowing privileges)
Attendees of conferences, summer institutes, workshops and similar programs with AU-issued ID badges

Eventually, we will have a system in place to generate single-day logins for the latter groups.

The costs of complying with CALEA are daunting. An institution with a network not deemed private is required to provide equipment, systems, and people to perform Service Provider administration, access control, and data delivery to law enforcement agencies. Additional costs to the university would include training and background checks and staffing a 24/7 point of contact for law enforcement agencies. University administrators estimate that the costs could reach into the millions.

The library will continue to be open to the public. Visitors are welcome to use our books, videos, and periodicals onsite for research and recreation.

The library’s public catalog and the databases to which it subscribes will be openly accessible on a group of computers in the reference area. All other computers will require user authentication.

Visitors will continue to have access to professional assistance from our reference librarians and subject specialists.

The Associate Borrowing Program enables persons not affiliated with the American University or the WRLC to borrow from the University Library's general collection and access the Internet in the library. Additional information about the Associate Borrowing Program.

American Library Association web page on CALEA

Electronic Frontier Foundation web page on CALEA

FBI web page on CALEA