Patron Privacy

The Kingston Frontenac Public Library recognizes that in order to fulfill its mission statement, library users and staff must not feel constrained in their use of library resources because they fear invasion of personal privacy.  The existence of such a possibility inhibits free usage of the library, its resources and facilities, and is contrary to the Intellectual Freedom Statement of the Canadian Library Association.  Open access to the library's resources includes protection against unwarranted intrusions into personal privacy.

Kingston Frontenac Public Library's Statement of Patron Privacy does not differentiate between users and staff on the basis of race, language, age (if not under 16), religious background, gender, political philosophy, sexual orientation, intellectual or physical ability, or level of income/wealth.

Kingston Frontenac Public Library is committed to protecting confidentiality and patron privacy.

The Library stores information in the patron database on borrowed items, late-returned materials, cancelled holds, lost materials, and "claims returned" items. The Library will make every attempt to protect this information. The Library will release an individual patron's information only to the patron, or with his or her consent, or if it is subpoenaed.

As part of the Library's commitment to offering personalized service, patrons may be invited to register for an online service which will allow them to view their ongoing record of items borrowed. Use of this service will be entirely voluntary.

Nothing in this policy will prevent appropriate library staff from using library user information for legitimate purposes, such as matters related to the circulation of materials and issues concerning the banning of patrons who abuse library resources.

Library staff will also have access to current information on library users as part of the circulation function. This information is only to be used to inform library users of the current activity in their records.

Library users' addresses and phone numbers stored in the KFPL database may not be given or sold to other organizations and may only be used for library-only mailings upon appropriate motion of the Kingston Frontenac Public Library Board.

Kingston Frontenac Public Library staff, when library users, have the same protection of personal privacy as any other library users.

For statistical purposes only, information identifying patrons who use the public computers for Internet access will be retained for a period of two months.

The radio frequency identification (RFID) tags attached to library materials contain no information about the patron or the title of the item being borrowed. The tags are programmed only with an identification number (in essence, a "barcode" number) and a security bit. The number has no meaning on its own and must be matched to the library database by a staff member in order to identify the item.

GUIDELINES

• This statement is interpreted to include, but is not restricted to, maintenance of confidentiality of the following information and transactions:

• all records identifying the names or ID numbers of library users
• all records identifying material the library user currently has checked out or has checked out in the past.
• all records identifying the library user's overdue material(s), except when used for the retrieval of that material (e.g., Collection Agency Reports)
• all records identifying users of public computers
• all reference questions
• all inter-library loan transactions
• all holds placed, trapped, or held, except when used for the retrieval of that material from the shelves.
• all online searches and their results
• all items photocopied
• all suggested purchases of library material submitted by library users
• all information pertaining to the identity of anyone conducting research on a particular subject

RIGHTS OF LIBRARY USERS TO GAIN ACCESS TO THEIR RECORDS:

• Library users will be able to obtain information from their record in the following manner:

1. by dial-in access or interactive telephone messaging system with their library card number;
2. in person, on the Public Access Computer, by entering their library card and PIN number;
3. in person, by presenting their library card or by showing ID with name and address;
4. by telephone to a library staff member, by giving their library card number and/or verification of name and address.

A request by a parent to see the list of overdue materials for a youth who has an adult card must be referred to a Manager.

October 2008