Video Surveillance Policy

1. The purpose of Video (CCTV) surveillance is to deter crime and to aid in protecting the safety of visitors, Library staff and the property of the Library.
2. Video surveillance will be conducted in public areas of the Library for security purposes, in a manner consistent with other existing Library policies.
3. The public will be notified, by signage at each entrance to the Library that video surveillance is in use for security purposes.
4. Cameras may be installed in public locations within and outside the Library, including common spaces such as entrances, near book and media collections, public seating areas, and parking lots.
5. Cameras will not be installed in areas where Library users or staff members have a reasonable expectation of privacy.
6. Video surveillance will be conducted in a professional manner by personnel who have been appropriately trained in its responsible use by the security manager.

Access to CCTV System

1. Persons with authorized access to the CCTV surveillance system shall be limited to:
   1. The Library Director and his/her designee(s);
   2. The Deputy Director and his/her designee(s);
   3. The security manager and his/her designee(s);
   4. Security officers;
   5. The information technology (IT) manager and designee(s);
   6. Public service desk staff, for the limited purpose of monitoring real-time use of designated public areas;
   7. Contractors authorized by the security manager, for the limited purpose of performing repair, installation, and maintenance on the system.
2. The security manager, in consultation with the director and/or deputy director, is responsible to authorize installation, relocation, replacement and use of all CCTV camera surveillance for safety and security purposes at the Library.
3. No recordings or images captured by CCTV cameras which show identifiable persons, identifiable Library materials in the possession of a Library users, or other readable communication from a Library user to a Library employee shall be released at the request of third parties until the propriety of disclosing the requested recordings or images has been evaluated.

Requests for Data

1. The Library Director and/or deputy director, in consultation with the security manager, will review all requests received by the Library to release recordings or images obtained by means of CCTV surveillance in conjunction with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140/et. seq and other applicable local, state, and federal laws.
2. Staff may not access surveillance or recorded data in response to requests from the press or general public, including victims of crime and individuals concerned with the personal safety of family, friends, or co-workers. Such individuals are directed to contact law enforcement.
3. Authorized staff may use live surveillance or recorded data to cooperate with law enforcement investigations of criminal activity, missing persons, or runaway persons.
4. Video data may be made available to law enforcement as specified in the Library's Privacy and Confidentiality policy.
5. Any such video data provided to law enforcement will be with the knowledge and authorization of the Library Director, deputy director, security manager, and their designees.

Insurance

1. Recordings or images captured by CCTV surveillance may be shared with Library insurance representatives when relevant to an insurance claim investigation. No release of CCTV recordings or images will occur without prior authorization by the security manager or his/her designee, after consultation with the director or deputy director.

Incident Reports

1. When an incident report is written for which an image would be helpful and integral part of the report, the image may be downloaded by security personnel and attached to the report for distribution to authorized internal personnel via print and/or the staff intranet.
2. Distribution of such reports shall be under the direction of the security manager and only to those who must know about such incident for the operation, management, or security of the Library.

Retention

1. Recorded video will ordinarily be retained for a period of no more than 30 days and will then be erased, unless retained as part of a criminal investigation or court proceedings (criminal or civil), or other use as approved by the director or deputy director, or by the security manager with approval of the director or deputy director.
2. The security manager will store, in a secure location, recorded video footage or images retained as part of a criminal investigation or court proceedings, or for other use as approved by the Library Director, deputy director, or the security manager with approval of the Library Director or deputy director.

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