Privacy Rules

Title:  Privacy Rules
Effective Date:  December 15, 2022
Review Date:

The Hamlin Community Library (hereinafter “Library”) is committed to protecting the privacy of the Library’s patrons.  The Library believes that every patron should be able to seek knowledge freely from any source—without the scrutiny or judgment of others. The Library wants patrons to make the most of the Library’s services, whether online or in person, and to feel confident while doing so. The Library’s rules conform to the Code of Ethics of the American Library Association, which provides this summation of the library community's commitment to privacy: "We protect each library user's right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted."

The Library protects the patron’s right to privacy by:

• Maintaining no record of books or other materials that patron has checked out from the Library in the past, only those currently are borrowing from the Library.

• Retaining no record of 1) in-library requests or book retrievals from the Library stacks or archives; and 2) use of Library computer Internet search history.

• Divulging no information about the patron’s personal research or reading preferences.

The Library may store personally identifiable information in conjunction with normal loan operations, hosted activities, or other services. Please note that the Library may be obligated to release such information to federal law enforcement agents in response to a search warrant or subpoena issued in accordance with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, 50 U.S.C. 1861, as amended by the USA PATRIOT Act (Public Law 107-56). That law prohibits Library staff from informing patrons that such a request has been received.