The Woodridge Public Library is bound by the Illinois Library Records Confidentiality Act (75 ILCS 70/1, et seq.), as amended (“Act”). This Act generally makes registration and circulation records of the Library, including computer use records and database search records, confidential, and prohibits the Library from making available to the public any registration or circulation records. The Library will not provide registration and circulation records except as allowed by the Act.
As required by the Act, anyone seeking another individual’s registration or circulation records must obtain a court order before those records will be released. Upon receipt of the court order, the Library Director or his/her designee may consult with the Library’s legal counsel to confirm that the court order complies with the Act.
The Act also requires the Library to release information held by the Library identifying a suspect, witness, or victim of a crime to law enforcement officers in emergency situations when the officer has probable cause to believe there is imminent danger of physical harm. Under this exception, only information identifying a suspect, witness, or victim of a crime may be disclosed to an officer without a court order; all other information remains confidential without a court order. Before any information is released to a law enforcement officer, the requesting officer must sign a form provided by the Library acknowledging the receipt of the information, if the Library requires such a form to be signed before releasing the information.
The Library shall use its best efforts to maintain strict security on public access computers to prevent any personal information from being retained after a workstation has been rebooted. However, patrons should be aware that the Library cannot guarantee that every task completed on a public access computer is private.
Patrons may only conduct legal activity while using Library resources and services. Nothing in this policy prevents the Library from exercising its right to enforce its Behavior Policy, Technology Policy, or Circulation Policy. Staff is authorized to take action to protect the safety and security of Library patrons, staff, facilities, and materials. This includes contacting law enforcement authorities and providing information that may identify the individual(s) suspected of a violation.
Library staff shall develop such rules and procedures as are necessary to ensure compliance with the Woodridge Public Library Confidentiality of Library Records Policy.
Approved by the Woodridge Public Library Board of Trustees 3/20/2019