Here is a statement to our patrons, taken from a prepared handout on the site:
Our library is committed to protecting the privacyFor more information about Privacy Week, visit the Privacy Revolution website.
and confidentiality of our users. Why?
Because we believe that freedom of speech is meaningless
without the freedom to read. Confidentiality and privacy are
essential to these freedoms, because if library users have to
worry about being judged, punished, ostracized, or put under
surveillance, they may censor themselves. They may not seek
answers to their questions or read the things they want to
read, either in print or online. To be free and to govern
themselves, people must be able to explore ideas—even
controversial ideas—without fear.
If library users aren’t doing anything wrong, why
should they care about privacy?
There are many reasons why library users might want their
privacy and confidentiality protected. Perhaps they have been
diagnosed with a disease and want to learn more about it
before they tell their children. They may be suffering from
domestic or child abuse and want to find out how to get help.
They may be researching their rights before deciding to blow
the whistle on illegal activity at work. Or perhaps they’re
planning a special vacation as a surprise gift for a loved one.
Privacy isn’t about protecting people who are doing bad
things. It’s about giving our users the power to decide for
themselves who will know about their reading and research
interests. If a user chooses to share her reading list with
others, that’s fine; but we can’t assume everyone wants that.
But what if someone is doing something wrong, and
the police need to see their library records to
investigate a crime?
Librarians comply with law enforcement requests for
information about users—as long as those requests come in
the form of court orders. This ensures that a third party has
considered whether the information is really critical for the
investigation, and it helps prevent unnecessary invasions of
privacy.
Questions?
Please speak with the library director or a member of the
library staff.
