Confidentiality of Library Records Policy

Because the library must maintain trust with members of the public, the Board of Trustees of Morrill Public Library shall make every reasonable and responsible effort to see that information about the patron and individual information choices remain confidential. For people to make full and effective use of library resources, they must feel unconstrained by the possibility of others being aware of the books they read, the materials they use, and the questions they ask.

Therefore, the Trustees have adopted the following guidelines concerning the disclosure of information about library patrons. No information will be disclosed regarding or including:

• a patron’s name (or whether an individual is a registered borrower or has been a patron)
• a patron’s address
• a patron’s telephone number
• the library’s circulation records and their contents
• the library’s borrower records and their contents
• the number or character of questions asked by patrons
• the frequency or content of a patron’s visits to the library
• computer use records
• any other information supplied to the library, or gathered by it shall be given, made available or disclosed to any individual, corporation, institution, or government agency without a valid process, order or subpoena.

Upon presentation of such a process, order, or subpoena, the library shall resist its enforcement until such time as a proper showing of good cause has been made in a court of competent jurisdiction.

Parents or legal guardians are permitted access to the records of their minor children through the age of 17. The parent/legal guardian must be accompanied by the child, provide the child’s library card, and/or provide other acceptable identification. In the case of telephone inquiries, the child’s library card number and verification of the child’s address, telephone number, and date of birth are required.

(Also, K.S.A. 45-221 (23) protects the confidentiality of library patron records.)