John Carroll University
Grasselli Library and Breen Learning Center

Privacy Policy

Contents

 General principles
 The scope and limits of this policy
 What information is collected
 Your choices about information collection
 How to access the information we collect about you
 The accuracy and security of this information
 What you can do if you want to know more
 Links to privacy information and library policy pages
 

Guiding principles

    1.  The policy of the American Library Association (ALA)
    As information professionals, we uphold the ALA's ethical code regarding privacy .  We strive to protect each user's privacy and confidentiality, and toward this end, we adopt the this policy:

    "We extend confidentiality to all information sought or received, materials consulted, borrowed, acquired, or transmitted, including database search records, reference interviews, interlibrary loan records, and other personally identifiable uses of library resources, services, and materials.  Any record identifying a library user with specific materials will be regarded as confidential and protected.  Such records will not be made available to any outside agency, institution, or private firm, or any government agency except pursuant to such process, order, or subpoena as may be authorized under the authority of, and pursuant to, federal, state, or local law relating to civil, criminal, or administrative discovery procedures or legislative investigatory power.  We will resist the issuance or enforcement of any such process, order, or subpoena until such time as as a proper showing of good cause has been made in a court of competent jurisdiction."  (ALA Policy Manual)

    2. The John Carroll University Information Technology Ethics Policy (Judicial Affairs)
   As members of the John Carroll University community, we also uphold the University's IT Ethics policy.  This policy states, in part:

   "Technological and information resources are to be accessed and utilized in an ethical manner. All users of technological and information resources are expected to observe high moral, legal, and professional standards, and are expected to support the mission, and act in the best interests of John Carroll University." ( IT Ethics Policy )

  3.  The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
  All students are afforded certain privacy rights with respect to their education records.  These rights include

• The right to inspect and review the student's education records;
• The right to request ammendment of the student's education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading;
• The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records.

More information on John Carroll University's compliance with FERPA and your FERPA rights can be found  here.
 

The scope and limits of this policy

    1.  This policy is intended to extend to physical records generated in the information seeking behaviors of all library patrons.  Such physical records include papers such as written Interlibrary Loan requests (whether written by the patron or library staff), written requests for items held on reserve or in special collections, and any notifications of overdue items or concerning the availability of  requested items.

    2.  This policy is also intended to extend to electronic or digital records generated by the use of library resources and resources provided by but not belonging to the library.  Such digital records include search strategies on library OPACs, databases, and search engines; digital requests for materials; electronic requests for information such as emails requesting reference help; and data collected by library web sites either explicitly (as when forms request information) or implicitly (as when our server requests information from your web browser).

The right of privacy includes five subsidiary rights:  notice/awareness,choice/consent,access/participation,security/integrity, and redress/enforcement.  That is, you have a right to know what information is collected, a right to choose if you want information to be collected, a right to review any such information to ensure its accuracy, and a right to have any such information protected from unwarranted or illegitimate use.  You also have a right to enforce the preceding rights and seek redress through the appropriate channels.

Notice/Awareness

     The library collects information about patrons in several ways.
 

• In order to obtain a library card for checking out books and other materials, patrons must supply the library with their name, address, and phone number.  Patron records will also contain the ID barcode, e-mail address, and social security number of the patron, but this information is not displayed.  The patron's status (staff, undergraduate, etc.) is also included in the record.
• While materials are checked out to patrons, the materials are included in the patron's circulation record.  Once the material is checked in, however, this information is deleted, and only an aggregate number of items checked out is retained in the circulation record.
• Interlibrary loan requests -- requests for materials not owned by the library -- require patron information (name, address, phone number, ID barcode number, departmental affilliation, and email address) which is furnished to the ILLead  system and the loaning library.  Records of ILL requests are maintained permanently in the ILLead system but are regarded as confidential.  This information can be accessed only by ILL staff and the patron who made the request.
• Patrons using the library's online databases are asked to supply their username and  ID barcodes.  The IP address number of the computer used to connect to the databases is also recorded but this information is erased when you log off.

     All of this information is considered confidential by the library and will not be disclosed to any outside agencies or persons, except in cases where a justified and bona fide subpoena is submitted.  The library maintains permanent records of patrons but destroys records of information seeking (including circulation records) upon return of the materials.

     The library's web site also collects information about patrons in a variety of ways.

     All visitors ot this web site have information collected about them automatically.  This information includes:

• the internet domain from which this site is accessed
• the internet address ("IP address" ) from which this site is accessed
• the type of browser and operating system you are using on your computer
• the date and time you visit
• the pages you view while here
• if you followed a link from some other site to get to this site, the address of that web site
• any searches conducted on this site, including both the search terms you use and the links you follow

     Most of this information is supplied automatically by your web browser.  This is called  header information.  You can see exactly what information your browser supplies to this and every other web site you visit by following this link: www.junkbusters.com/cgi-bin/privacy.   This information may be used by the library's webmaster to make the site easier to use and more efficient.  The library may use this information to learn about the habits of visitors and what areas of the web site they use the most.  This information is never stored in a record which can identify particular users and what they access -- instead, only aggregate, statistical records are kept.  Any links you follow from sites outside this site are not traced by the library server, but may be recorded by the outside site, and we have no control over such tracking.
 

• Information about your browsing on this site, such as which pages you view and how long you view them, may be stored in digital files called log files.  These log files do not identify particular users and are not shared with any outside agencies.  At the present time, no use is made of this information.
• This web site does not use cookies .

     This web site has links to databases, search engines, and other web sites which may collect personal information about visitors.  We advise all patrons to refrain from disclosing any personal information on the internet unless the patron is reasonably certain that this information will kept secure and confidential.  Patrons should also be aware that these sites may keep records of any searches performed, web sites visited, and files downloaded.  Patrons should be aware that such information may be stored in records that can identify the patron to these outside agencies, and that these agencies may in turn share or sell this private information.  For more information about privacy online, follow these links:
 ALA Task Force Report on Privacy in the Online Environment
 A Primer on Internet Privacy
 The Electronic Privacy Information Center
 Surfer Beware: Personal Privacy and the Internet

For more information on the American Library Association's policies, see The ALA's Policy Manual

Choice/Consent

     The library must collect certain information in order to provide services.  Patrons may choose to  opt-out  of this information collection, but this may affect the services the library provides.  Specifically, the library materials can be checked out of the library only by patrons who have released their names, addresses, and phone numbers, as the library needs some way to contact patrons should the materials become overdue.  Any other information collection, not connected to services provided by the library, will always be on an "opt-in" basis -- that is, the patron initiates the collection of information on a voluntary basis.

     Information collected by the library web site is, in general, never connected to the user.  The information collected is automatically furnished  by the user's web browser.  The library will always ask the patron for permission to collect any information that can be identified with the patron.

Access/Participation

     All library patrons who have had personally identifying information about them collected have right to be sure the information is accurate and up to date.  All information collected in connection with the issue of library cards may be reviewed and updated by contacting any librarian at the circulation desk.  Patrons may view their current circulation records and should see a librarian if they find any inaccuracies.  You can view your circulation record online by selecting the link on Carrolline that says "View your own circulation record" or by following this  link.

Security/Integrity

     The library takes the integrity and security of all records seriously.  All records which can be identified with a patron are stored on computer systems which are not readily accessible by agencies or individuals outside the library, and only authorized personnel have access to such records inside the library.  All of the library's records which are kept on computers which can be accessed from outside via the internet are protected by passwords and other reasonable measures.  Patrons should realize, however, that no security measures can promise complete security from unauthorized "hackers."

    The library will update patron records as needed to ensure that all data is accurate.  The library does not share any patron information with other government or private agencies.

Redress/Enforcement

     The library recognizes that privacy polices must be enforced and will take appropriate measures to redress any violation of a patron's privacy.  Please contact the library director, who will put you in cantact with the approriate person if you have any questions about what personally identifing records about you are maintained or if you feel that your confidentiality has been compromised.

Links

The ALA's Policy Manual
ALA Task Force Report on Privacy in the Online Environment
A Primer on Internet Privacy
The Electronic Privacy Information Center
Surfer Beware: Personal Privacy and the Internet
Junkbusters' Privacy Alert Page