[PW] Nichelle Welcome birth date

[Ellen Cousins]

Hello Tracy,

I know that this is an ongoing concern for librarians. Because I am a 
researcher and not a librarian, my considerations are somewhat 
different. I have a responsibility to those whose information I collect, 
as well as to those who request it.  If the birthdate were easily 
available on the web, I would have passed it on.  That is why I am 
comfortable passing on the article I sent which narrows down the date 
considerably. That article was published on November 20, 2002 and states 
that Welcome's 23rd birthday is "imminent."

I pulled her birthdate from a proprietary database rather than from the 
open web. Before releasing it, I took into account the scarcity of the 
information, the potential misuse of the information, and her level of 
fame. I would take likely use into account as well, but I do not know 
what plans the patron might have.

Our responsibilities are different. I help librarians when I can, 
because they have been and continue to be enormously helpful to me. 
Librarians and their work are grossly underappreciated, but not by me.

Ellen C.

Tracy Carr wrote:
> Wombats,
> 
> Don't you think it's overstepping a librarian's bounds to inquire why a
> patron needs information? It's not up to librarians to decide whether an
> information request is necessary or not (I believe that's called
> "censorship"). I'm sure my patron who wants to call Donald Trump or write to
> Fran Drescher has a perfectly good reason for it--one that I have never
> asked--even though she contacts us AT LEAST 3 times a week for this type of
> information. And besides, if the information is available somewhere, isn't
> it a librarian's job to supply it to a patron?
> 
> Tracy Carr
> Specialized Reference Manager
> Mississippi Library Commission
> 3881 Eastwood Drive
> Jackson, MS 39211
> 601.432.4450
> tcarr at mlc.lib.ms.us
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: project-wombat-bounces at lists.project-wombat.org
> [mailto:project-wombat-bounces at lists.project-wombat.org] On Behalf Of Ellen
> Cousins
> Sent: Saturday, July 28, 2007 12:23 PM
> To: list at project-wombat.org; lolsen at cumberland.lib.nc.us
> Subject: Re: [PW] Nichelle Welcome birth date
> 
> Hello Lisa,
> 
> I have Nichelle Welcome's birthdate, but may I ask what your patron
> wants it for? With stalkers and identity thieves all over the place, I'd
> hate to cause any problems for Ms. Welcome.
> 
> If the patron wants approximate age and date, this will cover it:
> 
> http://www.caymannetnews.com/Archive/Archive%20Articles/November%202002/Issu
> e%20288%20Fri/A%20Charming.html
> 
> Ellen C.