Protecting user privacy and confidentiality has been an integral part of the mission of public libraries. Both the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution provide guarantees of confidentiality and privacy. Wissahickon Valley Public Library (WVPL) protects the privacy and confidentiality of all individuals, children as well as adults.
Section 428 of the Library Code (P.L.324), 24 P.S. covers the confidentiality of library records.
“Records related to the circulation of library materials which contain the names or other personally identifying details regarding the users of the State Library or any local library which is established or maintained under any law of the Commonwealth or the library of any university, college or education institution chartered by the Commonwealth or the library of any public school or branch reading room, deposit station or agency operated in connection therewith, shall be confidential and shall not be made available to anyone except by a court order in a criminal proceeding.”
WVPL collects only that personally identifiable information about users that is needed for the functioning of the library. The library retains personally identifiable information about users only as long as it is needed for library functions. Privacy and confidentiality protections are part of the library procedures.
WVPL does not disclose or distribute users’ names, addresses (postal & email), phone numbers, borrower records, computer use records or other personal information to anyone unless required to do so pursuant to a court order, subpoena or where otherwise required by law.
Approved by the Board of Directors on July 27, 2023