To ensure confidentiality of customer information in the library. Anchorage Public Library (APL) safeguards access to customer library records and restricts access to information used in the normal course of business.
For the purpose of this policy, such confidential records include but are not limited to: registration records, circulation records, reference interviews, material request lists, database search records, financial information and computer booking records.
Consistent with AS. 40.25.140. Confidentiality of library records. Except as provided in (b) of this section, the names, addresses, or other personal identifying information of people who have used materials made available to the public by a library shall be kept confidential, except upon court order, and are not subject to inspection under AS 40.25.110 or 40.25.120. This section applies to libraries operated by the state, a municipality, or a public school, including the University of Alaska.
To conform to this law, all library staff will adhere to the following.
- Customer registration information and information defined above shall be considered confidential and will not be provided to anyone, including parents, guardians, spouses and law enforcement officers, without court order. Exceptions for parents/guardians noted in (3) below.
- Customers requesting information about their own cards may be given the information by showing any combination of official documents (examples are: Driver’s license, Government issued ID, Passport, Credit Card with Photo, Shopping Club Card with photo, Military ID, Work ID) to confirm photo identification, or by verifying information (examples are: rent agreement, lease agreement, tax documents, medical records, government / tribal issued documents, school records, pay stub, bank or credit card statement) in their library record.
- Parents/guardians may be given the titles of books their minor children have borrowed only for the purposes of retrieving overdue materials, providing they have the child’s library card. Any combination of official documents may be provided to confirm photo identification and date of birth for the parent. A minor's address and phone number are considered confidential and are not to be provided to anyone including a parent or guardian. Parents may be told if their child is registered. If for any reason, verification of correct name must be done using the address, the parent must give the address; staff shall not reveal it. The Alaska State Statute defines a minor child as anyone less than eighteen (18) years of age.
- Information from customer files may be used for library related research and to notify the user about enhanced library services to meet their needs.
- The Library may from time-to-time use customer addresses and emails on behalf of its support organizations (Friends of the Library and Anchorage Library Foundation) to announce issues and events that are of interest to library patrons and/or invite patrons to financially support those organizations. The Library will not give the list to the organizations, but instead will send a message on their behalf.
- APL enters into agreements with reputable third-party vendors/partners to provide online services and digital collections. Those vendors do not abide by the same standards as APL for the confidentiality of patron records. It is up to the customer who uses these services to review the specific types of data gathered/disclosed by each third party vendor, which can be found in the Terms of Use for each vendor.
Recommended for approval: Mary Jo Torgeson, Library Director
Approved by: Library Advisory Board, August 21, 2019