Zoia Horn, librarian jailed for not testifying against protesters

Zoia Horn refused to testify against antiwar activists accused of plotting to kidnap Henry Kissinger. Zoia Horn refused to testify against antiwar activists accused of plotting to kidnap Henry Kissinger. Photo: Courtesy Of The Family Photo: Courtesy Of The Family Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Zoia Horn, librarian jailed for not testifying against protesters 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Zoia Horn, who in 1972 became the first U.S. librarian ever jailed for withholding information as a matter of conscience by refusing to testify against antiwar activists accused of a bizarre terrorist plot, died Saturday at her home in Oakland, her family said. She was 96.

Ms. Horn devoted much of her career and her retirement years to speaking outagainst government surveillance and intrusions aimed at libraries and academic institutions. The American Library Association did not support her in 1972, but later praised her courage. The California Library Association now bestows an annual Zoia Horn Intellectual Freedom Award.

"All kinds of options are there for a librarian with a conscience," she told The Chronicle in a 2002 interview.

A native of Ukraine who emigrated with her family at age 8, Ms. Horn started working at libraries in 1942. In January 1971, she was the chief reference librarian at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pa., when two FBI agents showed up at her home and asked her to answer some questions and look at photos. When she refused, she was handed a grand jury subpoena.

Kidnap-bomb plot

Prosecutors said they were investigating a