#3 Memo to Library Board -- Board Policy A111
June 10, 2010
MEMORANDUM
TO: Library Board
FROM: Bryan J. McCormick
RE: Board Policy A111 Confidentiality and Privacy
Following a visit from Prof. Tomas Lipinski (UWM), library staff decided we should
update Board Policy A111 Confidentiality and Privacy, verifying that our policy
accurately reflects Wisconsin State Statutes.
An initial draft policy was sent to the City Attorney’s office for review. The Assistant
City Attorney noted that we should also include sections of Wisconsin State Statute
Chapter 19, which includes information about the Wisconsin Personal Information
Practices Act (Sections 19.62 to 19.80).
Following the recommendation of the City Attorney’s office the management team
included these changes:
-Added the definition of ‘personally identifiable information.’
-Added language explaining the circumstances for which a patron’s identity may
be disclosed.
-A statement that the library has developed rules of conduct for employees to abide
by .
The City Attorney’s office also recommended that the library adopt language pertaining
to the issue of surveillance devices:
Hedberg Public Library also complies with Section 43.30 which states that “upon the
request of a law enforcement officer shall disclose all records that were produced by a
surveillance device under the control of the library to a law enforcement officer that are
pertinent to alleged criminal conduct that occurred at a library supported in whole or in
part by public funds.”
At this time the library has surveillance devices but we do not record activity (due to the
Attorney General’s interpretation that we would have to maintain 7 year’s worth of
documentation). The Wisconsin Library Association is working with state legislators to
change the law, allowing libraries to use surveillance devices without having to maintain
7 year’s worth of recordings. The Hedberg Public Library may want to adopt this
language so that when the law is amended we will have a policy in place.
Board Policy A111,
I have attached a copy of the proposed changes to including the
above optional addition to the use of surveillance devices at the library, for your review
and approval.