Colorado State Publications Library: Privacy of Records Policy

COLORADO STATE PUBLICATIONS LIBRARY

 PRIVACY OF RECORDS POLICY – 2016-08

The State Publications Library policy makes every reasonable effort to protect the privacy of patrons using our library for any purpose either in-person, by mail, via email, interlibrary loan, phone or fax. Each staff member is responsible for following these policies based on available time and necessary library operations. Each staff will be responsible for the records maintained at their own desk and computer.

Borrowing Information

• Patrons will be asked to present a photo ID each time they want to borrow material(s). See Borrowing Policy for specific types of ID, loan periods and overdue process. Reading history is deleted as soon as the materials are returned. Patron records expire after 5 years from the date of setup.

Letters or Faxes Containing Reference Questions

• The response mailed or faxed to the patron and the original letter or fax may be retained for a month for reporting library use statistics after which time the document is shredded.

Telephone Reference Question Notes

• Any paper with patron information and the question may be retained for a month for reporting library use statistics after which time the document is shredded.

Email Questions

• Questions in spl@cde.state.co.us:

They will be deleted from the inbox after the question has been answered to completion.  Interesting questions and answers without personal information will be cut and pasted into a summary document for library reporting. Then the entire sent message will be deleted. The document will contain no patron information.

• Questions in a staff member’s direct email:

Each staff member will delete questions from their inbox after they have been answered to completion. Each staff member will select interesting questions and answers to be cut and pasted into a summary document for library reporting.  Then the entire sent message will be deleted. The document will contain no patron information.