Hi
As I visited my doctor's office recently I was given a privay policy. It
listed my options regarding how and when my information can be used
including court orders and notification of when my information has a been
given out. Privacy notices are now every where I look. They are on
websites and contest entry forms and bank statements and this got me to
thinking.
Aren't we as responsible for informing our customers as other businesses
are in terms of privacy?
When you sign up a new member to use your library do you give them a
privacy policy?
Does the policy include: how long you retain check out information after
the item has been turned in? provisions in the Patriot Act that allow the
government to seize records? who may look at the patron's records and
under what conditions? how the server/hard drive encrypted to protect
against against hackers?
In the past this wasn't much of an issue because we saw patron privacy as
their right but now it is too easy for information to be circulated
without a person's knowledge. Aren't we responsible for informing our
patrons of how we use the information that is collected about them and how
that information might be used in the future?
Thank you for your help,
April Smith
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