Copyright & Privacy

Circulation Records and Patron Information

The Beneficial-Hodson Library subscribes to the Code of Ethics of the American Library Association, which states, “We protect each library user's right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted.” Further, the State of Maryland protects the confidentiality of library records, as written in the Annotated Code of Maryland, Title 23, Subtitle I.

• The borrowing records of the patrons of the Beneficial-Hodson Library are confidential. The Library staff will provide information about a borrower’s record only to the card holder. To safeguard privacy, library patrons who request information relating to their patron records by telephone or e-mail will be asked to provide their name and library barcode number, or other proof of Hood College affiliation and/or identification.
• It is the Library’s policy not to share information about which books an individual may have out at any given time. If a book needs to be recalled, the library staff will handle the transaction with the individual who has the book in his or her possession. That responsibility cannot be handed over to the individual who needs the book.
• The circulation module of the Library’s Voyager integrated library system does not maintain permanent records of what individuals borrow. When a circulating book is returned and checked in through the system, the connection between the borrower’s name and the book title is severed.
• The Library will respond to a request for borrower information by law enforcement only if the request is accompanied by a properly executed court order that demonstrates good cause based on specific facts and is presented in proper form.

Computer and Internet Use

The library is not responsible for passersby seeing what materials or websites are being used by library patrons either on library computers or personal laptops brought into the building.

The Library’s website allows linking to outside sites. These sites may have privacy policies that differ from those of Hood College or the Beneficial-Hodson Library. Neither the Library nor the College can be responsible for your privacy when you disclose information to outside websites. Computer users should be aware that the Internet is not always secure and that the privacy of credit card transactions and other communications is not assured.

USA PATRIOT Act

The American Library Association considers that sections of the USA PATRIOT Act are a present danger to the constitutional rights and privacy rights of library users. Libraries do cooperate with law enforcement when presented with a lawful court order to obtain specific information about specific patrons. The library profession is concerned with provisions in the USA PATRIOT Act that go beyond the traditional methods of seeking information from libraries.

The American Library Association joined with the Association of Research Libraries and the Association of American Law Libraries in issuing a statement on the proposed anti-terrorism measures. It says that libraries do not monitor information sought or read by library users. To the extent that libraries "capture" usage information of computer logs, libraries comply with court orders for law enforcement.

The statement is also concerned that the legislation, which makes it easier to access business records, may in some cases apply to library circulation records. It recommends that legislators keep high standards for court orders regarding release of library records.

[Source: American Library Association]

Beneficial-Hodson Library Policy on Requests for Library Records, Materials or Equipment

As an institutional member of the American Library Association, the Beneficial-Hodson library endorses the ALA statements regarding cooperation with law enforcement authorities when requests for library records, materials or equipment are accompanied by a court order or warrant.

It should be noted that the Beneficial-Hodson library maintains records that connect individual library user information to specific library materials only for as long as the materials are in circulation.