Introduction
“Libraries are impartial resources providing information on all points of view, available to all persons regardless of origin, age, background, or views.”* Northland Public Library (“Northland”) has a strong commitment to protect the privacy of patrons who use our services.
To provide services, Northland collects and maintains personally identifiable information about patrons. The personal information Northland collects includes:
- Name
- Address
- Email address
- Phone number
- Driver’s license number or alternative state identification number
- Driver’s license number of parent or guardian for minors 17 and under
- Names of approved individuals designated to pick up reserves
- Library card number (used for materials request and access to the library account)
- Materials on reserve or currently checked out to the patron
- Date of birth (used for library card application and program registration)
- School grade (used for Summer Reading Program registration only)
- Name of school (used for Summer Reading Program registration only)
Patron Accounts
In providing services, Northland protects the privacy of patrons. Northland adheres to the following policies:
- Northland staff members do not share collected information with other staff members or outside parties except for the provision of library services and possible uses related to the recovery of materials, fines and fees, or to verify patrons’ permission to use certain databases.
- Northland specifically recognizes that its circulation records and other records identifying the names of library users with specific materials are confidential in nature in accordance with Pennsylvania law (24 PA Cons. Stat. Sec.4428). The library record of a child has the same confidentiality protection under Northland’s policy. No such records shall be made available to any agency of state, federal, or local government, or to any individual not specifically authorized by the Executive Director, except pursuant to such process, order, warrant, or subpoena as may be authorized under the authority of, and pursuant to state, federal, or local law relating to civil, criminal, or administrative procedures or legislative investigatory power.
- Upon receipt of such process, order, warrant, or subpoena, the Executive Director will consult Northland’s legal counsel to determine if such process, order, warrant, or subpoena is in proper form and if there is a showing of good cause for its issuance in a court of competent jurisdiction. If the process, order, warrant, or subpoena is not in proper form or if good cause has not been shown, Northland will object to the issuance of any information thereunder.
- Northland staff members will only provide information about specific titles of checked out material, holds requested, and/or fines and fees to the account holder. This information may notbe provided to anyone else without a legal court order, warrant, or subpoena, or a privacy waiver on file.
- The record of a child has the same confidentiality protection. If material is not overdue, staff may provide only the number of items checked out to parents or legal guardians. Staff may give parents or legal guardians specific title information when material is overdue or when fines or fees are due. Parents or legal guardians may access their family members’ account(s) through the public catalog, either at Northland or remotely. The parent or legal guardian has the responsibility to maintain the needed information (card number and PIN) that permits access to the account for their minor children. Adults are free to share their access information as they see fit.
- Hold proxies permit pickup of hold items by the designated proxy. Proxies do not have permission to access any other account information not related to holds available for pickup.
- If a patron is in possession of another patron’s library card, that patron may use that card to pick up the cardholder’s holds and to check out other materials, only. That patron may not make changes to the account (i.e., PIN number, email address, etc.), and that patron will not be furnished with any information about the account (i.e., fines owed, other items checked out, etc.).
- Someone other than the account holder may pay a replacement fee for a lost or damaged item only if they know the title of the item or the exact amount of the fees owed.
- Privacy waivers are available for information to be shared on a library account to a specific person receiving permission from the owner of said library account. The owner of the account must turn the Privacy Waiver in to a Northland Customer Service Representative in person. Waivers are kept on file in the office of the Circulation Department Manager. Revocation of the privacy waiver must also be in writing and delivered in person.
- Library accounts expire every two years unless they are updated in person by the account holder with appropriate I.D. and proof of address. Accounts expired for 3+ years with no items checked out are deleted from the database on an annual basis. The list of deleted patron records is saved for one year, then deleted.
Use of Library Services
- Northland does not provide, even at the request of an individual, documentation to agencies or institutions to show that a specific individual visited the library.
- Library staff are not permitted to disclose to anyone other than fellow staff whether a particular person is currently, or has ever been, at Northland without a court order, warrant, or subpoena.
- Information collected about patron use of Northland’s public computers will not be provided to any individual or agency without a legal court order, warrant, or subpoena. Any information collected concerning that use is destroyed once needed statistics are obtained.
- Information collected about individuals registering for library sponsored programs will not be provided to any individual or agency without a legal court order, warrant, or subpoena. Any information collected concerning program registration will be destroyed once needed statistics are obtained.
- Northland will not disclose a child’s personal information -full name, address, photograph, etc. (“information that would facilitate or enable the physical or online locating and contacting of a specific individual”)- without written approval from a parent or legal guardian. In accordance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), we will only display a child’s first name, age, and their comments on social media.
- Confidentiality extends to “information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted” (ALA Code of Ethics), and includes, but is not limited to: database search records, reference interviews, circulation records, interlibrary loan records and other personally identifiable uses of library materials, facilities, or services.
Use of Names or Photographic Images
- To protect the privacy of patrons and staff, Northland does not generally permit photos to be taken in its facilities, and does not use the names or images of patrons. When names or images are used for publicity or other Library-related uses, Northland obtains patron permission or allows patrons to “opt out” of the image. See Film & Photography Policy.
- Northland employs the use of security cameras for the sole purpose of ensuring the safety and security of staff, Library visitors and Library property. Only a limited number of staff members have access to camera footage. The security camera recordings are purged approximately every thirty days.
Data Security
- Northland is a member of the eiNetwork. The eiNetwork provides the following services:
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- Maintains the Integrated Library System (ILS) and the online catalog;
- Helps maintain all Library PCs and printers;
- Provides filtered Internet access for patrons and secure internet access for staff including wireless access;
- Provides assistive technology;
- Provides email for staff.
- Per the eiNetwork’s Privacy Policies:
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- Patron records that have been expired for 3+ years, owe less than $50, and that have no items checked out are deleted annually by the eiNetwork.
- All public computers are wiped clean of patron use as soon as the patron ends their session.
- The ILS automatically erases a user’s borrowing record once material is returned and all fines have been paid.
- The eiNetwork does not retain data relating to catalog or database searches.
- The eiNetwork may provide information to certain collection agencies or in judicial proceedings for the purpose of collecting fines or recovering the cost of items not returned to the library.
- Northland and the eiNetwork have put in place physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information it collects online to prevent unauthorized access, to maintain data accuracy and to ensure the correct use of information. Northland recognizes that no system is immune from unlawful intrusion through hacking, which violates both federal and state laws, nonetheless, it utilizes both managerial and technological security procedures intended to protect confidential data.
- Vendors either do not have access to patron information, have policies to protect confidential information, or have signed an agreement stating they will protect that information (i.e., certain databases).
- Northland uses email addresses to respond to the emails we receive, to confirm program registrations and to send notices to patrons who have given us their email addresses for that purpose. Names and addresses are not shared with outside parties.
- Northland also uses email addresses to alert patrons about new library services and programs. Patrons may unsubscribe from this list by clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of the email.
- A patron’s email and physical address will only be shared with the Northland Public Library Foundation if that patron grants permission to do so.
- Patrons who wish to be removed from the library donor mailing lists may contact the Northland Public Library Foundation.
- Any personal information requested through Northland’s website for the purpose of registering for Library programs is sent directly to an internal database accessible only by Library staff or sent directly to a pertinent staff member’s email account. Information collected by Northland is not shared with any other agency or organization. Every January, information that is more than a year old is deleted.
- Northland may obtain data regarding users at the time they use a library card to gain access to an electronic database or use computers within the library. Northland’s software is programmed to purge personally identifying information automatically after a short period of time, usually about 24 hours.
Revision approved 1/24/23
Approved 6/25/19
Rev 8/25/2023
Rev 1/23/2024