Hi All,
As with Sherman Clarke, recording this information has not bothered me,
either. However, as Liz Miller points out, it could be used for ID
theft, as could all the information we record. Since the students are
placing this information in their vita (sometime online and publicly
accessible) then it would appear we are not increasing their
vulnerability, but the info we record is widely available via LC
Authorities and is consolidated there in numerous records.
My first reactions are that I think that in the future I will refrain
from including details that are not needed to break a conflict: for
example, place of birth. Birth date (routinely we only include year, or
month/day/year) is usually going to be enough. I think the maiden name
is something I'll generally omit as well. If the student hasn't
published under that name by the time of the thesis, then she (or he)
probably will not. Name changes will occur for some of them, sure, but
the effect in our work would be minimal I think and is a small problem
that we encounter occasionally anyway.
It's an interesting question. It seems the exposure or risk is very
small, but being pro-active for our patrons required, and it is also
very little work once a policy decision is made.
Other thoughts?
Daniel
--
Daniel CannCasciato
Head of Cataloging
Central Washington University Brooks Library
*Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way
through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion
that democracy means that my ignorance is just as good as your
knowledge.*
- - Isaac Asimov
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