Confidentiality Policy

One of the public library's most cherished and valuable assets is the fact that anyone may use the library's resources in privacy, without fear of censorship, repression, or intimidation.  

In accordance with Maryland law (Maryland Code, Ed 23-107), circulation and other records identifying personal information with the use of specific library materials, services or facilities are confidential.  Such records shall not be disclosed except to:

• persons acting within the scope of their duties within the administration of the library and only for the purpose for which the record was created
• persons authorized by the individual to inspect the individual's record.

The following requests must be immediately referred to the Library Director:

• An agency of state, federal, or local government or any individual pursuant to a valid court order, search warrant or subpoena authorized under the authority of federal, state or local law relating to civil, criminal or administrative discovery procedures or legislative investigative power.
• A government official with a FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) Request.

All requests for such information must be referred to the Library Director.  If the Library Director is not immediately available, give them the contact information or take their name and number and have the Director contact them.

Library personnel shall not disclose to any other individual, corporation, institution, government agent or agency, except as provided in the above paragraph, information that includes but is not limited to

• the library's circulation records and their contents as pertains to individual patrons
• the library's registration records and their contents
• the number or character of questions asked by a patron
• the frequency of a patron's visits to the library
• a patron's name, address, or telephone number
• a patron's interlibrary loan records
• a patron's record of computer and database usage
• computer contents that could be used to identify material or sources a patron consults
• the contents of a patron’s information transaction:  titles requested, information requests, personal documents being created using library’s software, etc

If a request for information is denied, the Library Director shall inform the individual, corporation, institution, government agent or agency making the request within ten (10) days of receipt of the request.

Adopted January 15, 2002; Revised September 28, 2004