Privacy and Confidentiality Policy

Purpose

Privacy and confidentiality are a fundamental tenet of the professional ethics of librarianship. The Glenview Public Library seeks to protect patron privacy by treating library records relating to an individual’s use of the library and its resources as confidential.

Policy

  1. Illinois state law 75 ILCS 70/1 mandates the confidentiality of all records containing personally identifiable information relating to an individual’s use of the library and its resources, facilities and services. Confidentiality includes, but is not limited to, circulation of library books, periodicals and other materials, electronic resource searches, interlibrary loan transactions, reference requests and use of audio-visual materials. The library will not sell, lease or disclose confidential information to outside parties unless required to do so by law.
  2. Unless otherwise required by law, Library records containing personally identifiable information will not be made available to any agency of state, federal or local government unless a warrant, court order, or other investigatory document is issued by a court of competent jurisdiction that shows good cause and is in proper form. The Board of Trustees has authorized only the Library Director to receive or comply with requests from law enforcement officers. The Library Director will confer with legal counsel before determining the proper response.

Guidelines

  1. The library may collect the following personal information to allow for access to library services:
    • Name
    • Date of Birth
    • Address
    • Telephone Number and/or Email Address
    • Driver’s License or State ID number
    • Library barcode number
    • Items currently checked-out, hold requests, and current interlibrary loans
    • Fee and payment history
    • Sign-up information for library classes and events
    • Demographic information
  2. Library records may only be disclosed to:
    • Library staff performing job duties.
    • The account owner, upon presentation of their library card or proof of identity.
    • Those authorized by the account owner to pick up held materials.
    • Law enforcement with warrant, court order, or other investigatory document that is issued by a court of competent jurisdiction that shows good cause and is in proper form.
  3. Any person in possession of a physical library card or a library card number, is assumed to be the account holder, or have the permission of the account holder to access the account.

Adopted by the Glenview Public Library Board of Trustees on November 9, 2003

Revised: April 21, 2022

Print this page