At the time, Airoldi made this statement: "Libraries are a haven where people should be able to seek whatever information they want to pursue without any threat of government intervention.
This request followed a report to the FBI about a note found in the book, which echoed a statement made by Osama Bin Laden in 1998, expressing hostility towards America and viewing it as a religious duty.
The Deming branch stood firm, declining to provide the requested information without a legal subpoena or court order.
On 18 June, a grand jury subpoena arrived, seeking details of patrons who had borrowed the biography of Bin Laden since 15 November 2001.
[2] Joan allocated the $25,000 award she received from PEN America, in recognition of her stance against the FBI, to set up the Whatcom County Library Foundation.