Library Privacy & Confidentiality: Law and Policy

Outcomes Librarians and library staff need to know:

1. When and if they are required to release library user information;
2. How to respond to inquiries from law enforcement agents;
3. How to respond to inquiries from the press;
4. The implications the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution has on privacy;
5. How the Supreme Court has used the First Amendment to rule in privacy cases and how it ensures the library user`s privacy;
6. The effects of the recent USA PATRIOT Act on privacy rights of library users.

The course addresses these issues and more in a web-based course designed to take about 1 1/2 hours to complete. Over 1,500 library professionals and staff have already benefited from this course. Assessment This course is self-directed and assessments are graded immediately upon completion. Introduction This lesson covers the definition of privacy and how we have rights to it. History of Privacy This lesson covers topics such as: How our privacy rights have evolved; how privacy rights have been shaped by legislation and judicial rulings; how technology is affecting privacy rights. USA Patriot Act This lesson covers the background of the Patriot Act and its affect on libraries. Writing Privacy Policy This lesson provides sample policies and discusses guidelines for creating policy. The Sex Files A real-life scenario regarding the conflict between protecting privacy and protecting lives and an analysis of the scenario. When Do You Break Policy? A discussion about exceptions to the rules and when the acceptions should be allowed. Contact Hours: 3