In theory, yes. That's what the law says. But although most of the bookstores I shop in keep records of what they've sold for purposes of knowing what, when, and how many to re-order, they don't keep records of who bought what. You pick up the book you want off the shelf, take it to the cash register, hand the clerk your money, they put it in a bag, you thank each other, and you walk out. Unless you shop with a credit card or pay by check, there is no reason for you to give your name. Some of them don't even know the names of their regular customers. If you special-order something, they might ask for you name, address, and phone number so they can notify you when your order comes in, but after the transaction, there's no point in their keeping any record of it.

I don't see how the FBI can enforce this without putting a huge record-keeping burden on bookstores. Most of the bookstore owners and personnel that I'm acquainted with are very much into First Amendment (freedom of speech and of the press) issues and would dig their heels in. Attempts at this kind of snooping is bound to meet heavy resistance or outright civil disobedience. The same with libraries and librarians. My wife works in the Seattle Public Library and a good friend owns a bookstore, so I think I have a finger on the pulse.

Don Firth