Privacy & Confidentiality Policy

Patron Right to Privacy

1. The Champaign Public Library supports the values of intellectual freedom and the right of each citizen to free access to information without fear of intimidation.
2. The Champaign Public Library and its Board of Trustees is committed to protecting each library user’s right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted.
3. The Champaign Public Library is committed to protecting patron privacy by keeping personally identifiable information confidential to the fullest extent allowable by law.
4. The Library will use reasonable efforts to ensure that it collects only the personal identifying information of its patrons that is necessary for the proper administration of the Library, only used for the intended purpose for which it was collected, and is not stored beyond its intended use.
5. Library records include any written or electronic record used to identify a customer. This includes, but is not limited, to, borrowing history, program records, name, address, telephone number, and email address.

Any technology employed in the provision of library services will be designed to maintain the minimum level possible of personally identifying information, with such information residing only in a secured electronic environment, not available to intentional or accidental exposure to unauthorized individuals.

The library is not responsible for guaranteeing the privacy of its customers when using library technology resources, even those provided by or linked to the Champaign Public Library website, or recommended for use by its employees. Library users should consult the Internet Use Policy for guidance regarding their use of other internet resources.

Confidentiality of library records

1. The Champaign Public Library takes seriously and abides by the Library Records Confidentiality Act (75 ILSC 70/1) to ensure the privacy of the users of its services and to consider any Library patron records, including all circulation, registration, and other records identifying the names of Library users and their transactions with the Library, to be confidential.
2. The contents of any such Library records will not be made available to anyone except the card holder, and to the parent or guardian of a minor child card holder following presentation of photo identification of the parent or guardian.
3. No Library records or information derived during the use of library resources shall be made available to members of the public, the press, or any agency of state, federal, or local government, except as required under a court order or otherwise required by law.
4. The Library will comply with the exception contained within the Library Records Confidentiality Act regarding when law enforcement officers request information in emergency situations regarding the identity of suspects, witnesses, or victims where the officer believes there is imminent danger of physical harm, provided:
   1. The information is requested by a sworn law enforcement officer who represents to the Library that it is impractical to get a court order as a result of an emergency; and
   2. The officer has probable cause to believe there is imminent danger of physical harm; and
   3. The information requested is limited to identifying a suspect, witness or victim of a crime; and
   4. The information requested does not include registration or circulation records that would indicate materials borrowed, resources viewed, or services used at the Library.
   
   Under this exception, only information identifying a suspect, witness, or victim of a crime may be disclosed to a law enforcement officer without a court order; all other information remains confidential without a court order.
   
   
5. Library records may be subject to disclosure to law enforcement officials under the USA PATRIOT Act. Library staff may be forbidden from reporting to a patron that Library records have been requested or obtained under provisions of the USA Patriot Act.
6. Upon the receipt of a court order, search warrant, or subpoena for Library records, the Library Director may consult with the Library’s legal counsel to confirm that the request complies with the law.
7. In the event of an authorized, lawful request from law enforcement authorities, email or other data that was accessed or transmitted on Library computers or via the Library’s internet network may be provided to the requesting agency.

Third Parties

1. Any technology employed in the provision of Library services will be designed to maintain the minimum level possible of personally identifying information, with such information residing only in a secured electronic environment, not available to intentional or accidental exposure to unauthorized individuals.
2. The Champaign Public Library uses third-party vendors to provide digital content, including ebooks, digital audiobooks, movie, music, and other online resources. Some of these vendors may collect and share personally identifiable information that patrons choose to provide them in order to use their services. A patron can choose not to use these third-party vendors.
3. Websites are operated by third parties. The Library cannot guarantee the privacy of online activity or email accessed via the Library’s computers or via the Library’s internet network. Internet users should not expect or treat their online activity as confidential or private.
4. The Library is not responsible for guaranteeing the privacy of its customers when using Library technology resources, even those provided by or linked to the Champaign Public Library website, or recommended for use by its employees.
5. The Champaign Public Library Confidentiality and Privacy Policy does not apply to third party resources or websites that are accessed by patrons.
6. Library users should consult the Internet Use Policy and the privacy statements for individual third-party vendors for guidance regarding the use of their services.
7. The Library participates in reciprocal borrowing. It is sometimes necessary for libraries to share information with each other to be able to provide service to the customer and to collect outstanding materials owed. The Library will honor requests from other libraries that need this information for legitimate purposes. Implicit in a patron’s agreement to participate in the reciprocal borrowing program is the customer’s consent for the various libraries involved to exchange pertinent information as may be necessary to retrieve library materials.

Institutional Data

1. The Library is committed to the continuous improvement of its services. As such, it uses specific types of information to achieve its mission, vision, and strategic goals – collectively, the “institutional data.”
2. Institutional data is information created, collected, maintained, transmitted, or recorded in ordinary operations for the Library to improve its services, collections, programs, spaces, and patron experiences. It includes:
   1. Data used for planning, managing, and assessing Library operations in an ongoing and formative manner to meet the Library’s mission, vision, and goals;
   2. Metrics created, collected, maintained, and reported as required for annual reporting;
   3. Aggregated, anonymous data collected in surveys or via analytics directly related to its services.
3. Institutional data does not include personal data which is personal in nature and not related to Library business.
4. For expedience and service of users, use of Library facilities, materials, and services, the default is consent for non-personalized information to be gathered, such as the number of people entering the building in a day, and the number of users of a database.
5. Aggregated, non-identifiable institutional data may be used by the Library for ordinary administration and institutional accountability.
6. The release of aggregated, non-identifiable institutional data is permitted, provided no individual or personally identifying information is identified in the data released. Such release may include, but is not limited to, publishing or making available to the public reasonable statistical reports regarding library registration and book circulation where those reports are presented so that no individual is identified therein.

Reviewed and approved by the Board of Trustees on November 20, 2024