Privacy and Confidentiality Procedures 

Security Camera Procedures

 

Security cameras are installed in some OCPL libraries to protect the safety and security of the public, the staff, the building and its contents. Only authorized library staff may view recordings as needed for the safe operation of the library.  Library staff may comply with a law enforcement request to view specified portions of a security recording, but a subpoena or court order is required for the library to provide a print, video or electronic copy of a specified portion of the security recording. OCPL’s administration and Onondaga County’s Department of Law are notified of law enforcement requests and subpoenas.

 

Library Record Procedures

 

Subpoenas, court orders or other requests for library records will be examined by Onondaga County’s Department of Law.

 

Library staff members are not allowed to share information about use of library materials, equipment and services by identified library patrons except as necessary for the performance of their job duties and in accordance with the library’s operating procedures.

 

Under the law Onondaga County Public Library may use library records for administrative purposes, such as recovering overdue materials, payments for lost items, patron surveys, or other administrative purposes. OCPL does not use library records for fundraising or political purposes.

 

Registration and Circulation Records

 

Information on the status of any card is available upon request to the cardholder only. New York State confidentiality law requires that such requests be made in person only and only upon presentation of appropriate ID. Parents and legal guardians of children under 8 years of age may request information about their children’s cards. After a child’s 8th birthday, the parent or guardian may request information about a child’s library card records only if the child is present and consents to the release or if the child is not present but provides written consent dated for each request.

 

Confidentiality over the telephone is also preserved. In order to discuss library records over the telephone library staff will ask the caller to verify name, address, phone number and PIN.

 

E-mail is considered a confidential form of communication between the library and library patron.
 

Staff Requesting ID from Library Users

 

Staff is authorized to request identification from library users as necessary and appropriate for use of library services, such as issuing a card, placing and picking up holds, registering for a program or using the meeting room. Information communicated under these circumstances is privileged.  Refusal to identify one’s self under these circumstances may be grounds for denial of service.

Library Notices

 

The library uses information in the library card record to send notices about holds waiting to be picked up, materials due in 3 days (email notices only), overdue materials, and cancelled holds (emailed notices only).

 

Library card holders have a choice of e-mailed notices, telephoned notices, or mailed postcard notices.  To protect patron privacy, telephoned notices and mailed postcard notices have only generic messages that materials are on hold or overdue; neither lists specific titles.  E-mailed notices are considered to be delivered directly to the individual, and therefore contain lists of specific applicable titles.

Third-Party Partners (e.g., OverDrive downloadable materials)

 

OCPL has teamed up with reputable third-party vendors in order to provide certain services to its online users.  In cases when users leave OCPL’s Web site to visit one of its partners’ sites, users must become familiar with the privacy statements of each site they visit.

Reading History

 

OCPL’s online catalog offers patrons the option of keeping an historical record of titles checked out.  While New York State law protects the confidentiality of library records, if this feature is turned on by the patron, law enforcement personnel may access the data through the subpoena process without the knowledge or consent of the patron. 

ILL Requests/Reference Queries or Interviews/Emails, Voicemails, Correspondence about Patrons’ Library Use/Computer Database Searches/ Use of Materials in the Library

 

1. These records shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed except that such records may be disclosed upon the request or consent of the user or pursuant to subpoena, court order or where otherwise required by statute.
2. Library staff do not ask about the purpose of a patron’s request, except when necessary to provide better service.
3. Personal information such as names, email addresses, telephone and fax numbers submitted with the questions are confidential and are treated the same as other confidential library records.
    
   

Computer and Online Use/Workstation Logs

 

OCPL is strongly committed to protecting the privacy of its patrons in libraries and online. 

 

OCPL does not collect any “personally identifiable information” about individuals, such as names and postal or e-mail addresses, except when such information is needed to provide service and is voluntarily submitted by the user. 

 

In common with other Web sites OCPL’s Web site automatically logs certain “non-personally identifiable” information about visits to our Web site. This information is used for system administration and for producing usage statistics.

 

OCPL will not release information on the use of specific Internet or Web site resources except as required by law or necessary for the proper operation of the Library.

USA Patriot and Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act

 

The USA Patriot and Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) of 2001 may require staff to follow special procedures for law enforcement visits.  Should federal or local law enforcement approach staff regarding an investigation under this act, the executive director will consult with Onondaga County legal counsel prior to responding.  Libraries or librarians served with search warrants under this Act may not disclose, under penalty of law, the existence of the warrants or the fact that records were produced as a result of the warrants.  Patrons cannot be told their records were given to law enforcement agencies or that they were the subjects of FBI investigations.
 

Other Procedures Related to Use of Library Facilities

 

1. Contact information for meeting room use is provided by the user and is considered public information.

2. As a public place, patrons and facilities may be photographed by the media for newsworthy purposes. Also, from time to time OCPL staff would like to take pictures or videos for reports or publicity purposes. Staff members will seek a signed consent form from adult patrons for themselves and their children.
    
   

Incidents/Suspected or Actual Criminal Activity/Safety and Security Concerns

 

1. Patrons are expected to abide by the OCPL’s Code of Conduct and the Internet Use Policy.
2. Some violations of these policies may be recorded in an Incident Report. In the event that the police or other authorities are contacted to deal with problem behavior, information on past code of conduct violations recorded in the Incident Reports may be shared.
    
   

Security of Library Data

 

OCPL attempts to have all reasonable physical, electronic, and managerial measures in place to prevent unauthorized access to the information we collect online or for circulation purposes.  We do not, however, claim any responsibility for information collected by or from Webs sites linking to or from the Library’s Web site.

Cookies

 

1. A cookie is a small text file that is sent to your browser from a Web site and stored on your computer’s hard drive. 
2. Cookies cannot read data from your hard disk or read cookie files that were created by other sites – the Web site that creates a cookie is the only one that a browser will permit to access it.
3. Examples of ways in which the Library might use cookies would be to customize content areas or to analyze site activity and user behavior.

 

4. If you are concerned about the use of cookies, the Library suggests that you explore your browser’s options to notify you whenever a cookie is set, or to disallow cookies altogether.  Users should be aware however, that prohibiting the use of cookies may restrict the user’s access to certain types of content or features.
    
    
   

Reference source documents/policies

• Borrowing Information page

• Library Card Registration Policy
• Internet Use Policy

• Legal Notices
• Library Code of Conduct page
• Meeting Room Policy

• Retention of Security Camera images
• Web Privacy Policy rename to address its topic of safe Internet for kids and COPPA (also mention CIPA on this page?)
• ALA Library Bill of Rights

• USA Patriot Act