Josephine Community Library District is committed to protecting the privacy and intellectual freedom of our patrons. We recognize that privacy is “essential to the exercise of free speech, free thought and free association” (American Library Association). When library users feel their selection and access of materials is being scrutinized, it hinders their free inquiry. The library’s board of directors has endorsed the ALA Library Bill of Rights which states the following:
“All people, regardless of origin, age, background, or views, possess a right to privacy and confidentiality in their library use. Libraries should advocate for, educate about, and protect people’s privacy, safeguarding all library use data, including personally identifiable information.”
We strive to uphold that commitment to privacy in the following ways:
Patron records
- We limit the collection of personally identifiable information to what is necessary for providing library services.
- We store patron data securely and purge records on a regular basis.
- We do not routinely store reading lists or checkout history. If you would like us to save your reading history, you can opt in by logging in to your library account.
- We do not share your data with anyone without your express permission, except as required by law.
For more information on how the library gathers and protects your personal information, please see Policy 3-1-1. Privacy and Confidentiality of Library Records.
Public internet use
JCLD provides public access computers with internet and public WiFi networks at all branches. Because of reliance on federal funding, the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) requires filtering software to block “obscene” content on all library computers. Patrons over the age of 18 may request that staff bypass content filtering.
Patrons should be advised that privacy is not guaranteed while using public access computers and wireless networks.
For more information on the library’s technology policies.
Third-party vendors
The library contracts with several third-party vendors to provide digital library services. The library does not share personally identifiable information with vendors and we negotiate with vendors to ensure responsible handling of data. In some cases, vendors ask you to share personally identifiable information, such as your name or email, when you use their services. Once a third-party vendor has collected your data, the library does not control the use or storage of that data. When using the following services, we recommend that you look at the privacy policies of the individual vendors:
OverDrive: Follow this link to learn more.
EBSCO: Follow this link to learn more.
- Novelist
Mango Languages: Follow this link to learn more.
Security cameras
The library has installed security cameras at all four branches. For information on collection, storage, and sharing of security camera footage, please refer to Operations Policy 3-3-4 Security Cameras.