Library Records Confidentiality Policy
The Round Lake Area Public Library takes very seriously and abides by the Illinois Library Records Confidentiality Act (75 ILCS 70) to ensure the privacy of the users of its services and to consider any library patron records to be confidential. Records are not to be revealed to anyone other than the patron in question without either the express written permission of the patron in question or the adherence to enacted legal requirements.
(75 ILCS 70/) Library Records Confidentiality Act.
(75 ILCS 70/1) (from Ch. 81, par. 1201)
Sec. 1. (a) The registration and circulation records of a library are confidential information. No person shall publish or make any information contained in such records available to the public unless:
- (1) required to do so under a court order; or
- (2) the information is requested by a sworn law enforcement officer who represents that it is impractical to secure a court order as a result of an emergency where the law enforcement officer has probable cause to believe that there is an imminent danger of physical harm. The information requested must be limited to identifying a suspect, witness, or victim of a crime. The information requested without a court order may not include the disclosure of registration or circulation records that would indicate materials borrowed, resources reviewed, or services used at the library. If requested to do so by the library, the requesting law enforcement officer must sign a form acknowledging the receipt of the information. A library providing the information may seek subsequent judicial review to assess compliance with this Section.
This subsection shall not alter any right to challenge the use or dissemination of patron information that is otherwise permitted by law.
- (b) This Section does not prevent a library from publishing or making available to the public reasonable statistical reports regarding library registration and book circulation where those reports are presented so that no individual is identified
• (b-5) Nothing in this Section shall be construed as a privacy violation or a breach of confidentiality if a library provides information to a law enforcement officer under item (2) of subsection (a).
- For the purpose of this Section, (i) "library" means any public library or library of an educational, historical or eleemosynary institution, organization or society; (ii) "registration records" includes any information
(Source: P.A. 95-40, eff. 1-1-08.)
(75 ILCS 70/2) (from Ch. 81, par. 1202)
Sec. 2. This Act may be cited as the Library Records Confidentiality Act.
(Source: P.A. 86-1475.)
Any request for confidential information from patron records coming from a law enforcement officer or investigative agent of local, state, or federal governments, must be directed to the library’s Assistant Director, Director, Board President, or legal counsel.
EXAMPLES OF REQUESTS FOR LIBRARY INFORMATION THAT IS CONFIDENTIAL:
The following list is intended to provide examples of possible violations of confidentiality of library information and is by no means inclusive.
- A request for the name of the person who has signed out a particular item
- A request by a parent for information such as circulation records, fines, or other fees without the child’s
- A request to review the identity of persons who have used a study room, X-Lab, meeting room, or computer workstation
- A request to reveal the nature of a library user’s reference request or database search
- A request for a list of items photocopied for or faxed to a particular Library user
- A request for a list of suggested acquisitions submitted by a particular Library user
- A request from law enforcement authorities for the identity of anyone conducting research on a particular subject
- A request for addresses, phone numbers, I.D. numbers or other personal information contained in the borrower database
- A request to see interlibrary loan borrowing records
