Library Patron Privacy and Confidentiality Policy

Purpose: To comply with the Board of Trustees Monitoring Policy 2.1, Treatment of Patrons

With respect to interactions with patrons, the Executive Director shall not cause or allow conditions or procedures which are unfair, unsafe, disrespectful, unnecessarily intrusive, or which fail to provide confidentiality in use of facilities and resources, and a high level of customer service.

As it pertains to privacy of user records, this policy applies to numbers 1-4:

#1 I shall not elicit and maintain patron information for which there is no clear necessity.

#2. I shall not collect, review, transmit, store or destroy patron information in a manner that fails to protect against loss of or improper access to that information.

#3. I shall not fail to maintain facilities that provide a reasonable level of privacy, both aural and visual, and that are reasonably free from public distraction and disturbance.

#4. I shall not fail to maintain the confidentiality of a patron’s use of the JCPL and patron record except as required by law.

In order to comply, the library shall follow the policy statement:

Privacy is essential to the exercise of free speech, free thought, and free association. Jefferson County Public Library (JCPL) is committed to protecting user privacy, whether using our website and digital properties or a visitor to one of our locations.

We are committed to keeping information about an individual’s use of the library only as long as needed in order to provide Library services. Full and current guidelines for the public will be posted on the JCPL website and updated when and as conditions change.

Colorado state law requires that we treat as confidential information about materials users check out, information they access, and their use of the library. We also do so because it is in keeping with our commitment to protect patron privacy.

“…a publicly-supported library shall not disclose any record or other information that identifies a person as having requested or obtained specific materials or service or as otherwise having used the library. (2) Records may be disclosed in the following instances: (a) When necessary for the reasonable operation of the library; (b) Upon written consent of the user; (c) Pursuant to subpoena, upon court order, or where otherwise required by law; (d) To a custodial parent or legal guardian who has access to a minor's library card or its authorization number for the purpose of accessing by electronic means library records of the minor. (3) Any library official, employee, or volunteer who discloses information in violation of this section commits a class 2 petty offense and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars.” (C.R.S. § 24-90-119)

This statement has been accepted by the Library Board of Trustees to recognize the importance of protecting patron privacy and the confidentiality of user records. However, the Library Board of Trustees reserves the right to alter or modify the parameters of this policy as the Board believes to be in the best interests of the community and for reasonable operation of the library.