System for authorized conditional deletion of data objects within a library service

A method in a data processing system having a plurality of data objects stored within a library service for use or temporary removal by a system user, for controlling the deletion of a selected data object, said method comprising the data processing system implemented steps of:

• determining if a request made by a selected user to delete a selected data object within a library service is a deletion request or a conditional deletion request in response to each request to delete a data object within said library service;
• in response to each deletion request, determining if said selected user has authority to delete said selected data object and if said selected user has said authority, automatically deleting all references to said selected data object from said library service regardless of whether or not said selected data object is in use or temporarily removed by a system user;
• in response to each conditional deletion request, automatically determining if said selected data object is in use or temporarily removed by a system user;
• automatically determining if said selected user has authority to delete said selected data object and if said selected user has said authority, deleting all references to said selected data object from said library service in response to a conditional deletion request if said selected data object is not in use or temporarily removed by a system user;
• and
• automatically terminating said request to delete said selected data object in response to a conditional deletion request if said selected data object is in use or temporarily removed by a system user.