Confidentiality of Records At The Silver Falls Library
Purpose of Policy
The First Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees freedom of speech with the corresponding right to hear what is spoken and read what is written without fear of government intrusion, intimidation, or reprisal. Confidentiality is the primary means of providing the privacy that will free the individual from fear of intimidation or retaliation.
Oregon State Law recognizes the Silver Falls Library District as a public body subject to the Public Record Law. However, ORS 192.502.22 provides the following exemption from disclosure of library records: "The records of a library, including circulation records, showing use of specific library materials by a named person or consisting of the name of a library patron together with the address or telephone number, or both, of the patron."
To protect each individual's privacy in use of libarary services, and in accordance with underlying legalconsiderations, the Library has adopted the following policy regarding the confidentiality of records of library patrons.
Policy
User records of the Silver Falls Library District (1) showing use of specific library materials consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted by a named person; or (2) consisting of the name of a library patron together with the person's address or telephone number, or both, are exempt from disclosure.
These protected records include, but are not limited to:
The Silver Falls Library District reserves the right to use library records for administrative purposes, such as recovering overdue materials and payment for lost items, customer surveys, or other administrative mailings. The Library keeps only the minimal amount of patron information necessary to operate effectively and does not maintain a staff-accessible history of what a borrower has previously checked out and returned on time. Similarly, the library's computer search stations are programmed to delete the history of a customer's Internet information searches once an individual session is completed. Reference questions are treated confidentially, and personal identifying information related to Internet terminal use, reference questions, and Inter-Library Loan of materials is purged on an ongoing basis.
The Silver Falls Library District is subject to the "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act: (USA Patriot Act), enacted on March 9, 2006. Only the Library Director or another supervisory or management staff member designated by the Library Director, acting with the advice of the Library's legal counsel, may authorize release of patron records. Record requests, National Security Letters, court orders, or warrants for library records received by any library employee or volunteer must be referred to the Library Director. Likewise, requests or court orders to install surveillance technology on library computers or other surveillance must be referred to the Library Director. Should library records be requested under the act, the law states that library staff cannot inform the person about whom the information is requested, nor speak to coworkers, the media, or other government officials about the inquiry. Staff members must only report such requests up through the chain of command.
Approved by the Silver Falls Library Board, June 13, 2006
The First Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees freedom of speech with the corresponding right to hear what is spoken and read what is written without fear of government intrusion, intimidation, or reprisal. Confidentiality is the primary means of providing the privacy that will free the individual from fear of intimidation or retaliation.
Oregon State Law recognizes the Silver Falls Library District as a public body subject to the Public Record Law. However, ORS 192.502.22 provides the following exemption from disclosure of library records: "The records of a library, including circulation records, showing use of specific library materials by a named person or consisting of the name of a library patron together with the address or telephone number, or both, of the patron."
To protect each individual's privacy in use of libarary services, and in accordance with underlying legalconsiderations, the Library has adopted the following policy regarding the confidentiality of records of library patrons.
Policy
User records of the Silver Falls Library District (1) showing use of specific library materials consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted by a named person; or (2) consisting of the name of a library patron together with the person's address or telephone number, or both, are exempt from disclosure.
These protected records include, but are not limited to:
- Circulation records
- Borrower registration records
- Records created to facilitate access to and/or use of library information, materials, and services
The Silver Falls Library District reserves the right to use library records for administrative purposes, such as recovering overdue materials and payment for lost items, customer surveys, or other administrative mailings. The Library keeps only the minimal amount of patron information necessary to operate effectively and does not maintain a staff-accessible history of what a borrower has previously checked out and returned on time. Similarly, the library's computer search stations are programmed to delete the history of a customer's Internet information searches once an individual session is completed. Reference questions are treated confidentially, and personal identifying information related to Internet terminal use, reference questions, and Inter-Library Loan of materials is purged on an ongoing basis.
The Silver Falls Library District is subject to the "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act: (USA Patriot Act), enacted on March 9, 2006. Only the Library Director or another supervisory or management staff member designated by the Library Director, acting with the advice of the Library's legal counsel, may authorize release of patron records. Record requests, National Security Letters, court orders, or warrants for library records received by any library employee or volunteer must be referred to the Library Director. Likewise, requests or court orders to install surveillance technology on library computers or other surveillance must be referred to the Library Director. Should library records be requested under the act, the law states that library staff cannot inform the person about whom the information is requested, nor speak to coworkers, the media, or other government officials about the inquiry. Staff members must only report such requests up through the chain of command.
Approved by the Silver Falls Library Board, June 13, 2006
