Recently Asked Questions (RAQs)

Should librarians who use student or parent volunteers have them sign a statement on protecting patron privacy? If so, what would the wording look like?

Maybe something like this?

“As a library volunteer, I agree to follow all the policies and practices of the school library including ensuring patron privacy. What patrons check out or research in the library is confidential. I will not tell others, students or adults, who has what materials checked out or comment on what is being checked out. I understand that lack of privacy and confidentiality has a chilling effect on users’ selection, access to, and use of library resources. All users have a right to freely use the library and have their privacy protected. I will let the librarian know if I think I have violated any policies.”

We have a major building project coming up for our library. We are wondering if a committee of the board can be given the authority to make official decisions, which are then ratified by the full board at the following monthly board meeting. We expect the Building & Grounds Committee will begin to meet regularly with a newly appointed project manager to get updates and to approve decisions that can’t wait until a full meeting of the board. It would seem like there must be a means for expediting important business without trying to get a quorum of the board together to approve them every single time. 

We are a school district public library. We own our property. We recently obtained a construction grant and are eager to get our project moving! We have been told we don’t have to get a building permit from our town because we are a school district public library. Is that true? It would be great to not have to worry about a permit.

Our public library has been told by patrons that another patron is following up on interactions at the library, including at the circulation desk, by showing up at the reporting patrons’ homes. Such behavior, if harassing, is against our Code of Conduct. Does our library risk legal liability for this?

Academic libraries need to make the most of their budgets for subscription services. We also want to advance librarian-aligned priorities like fair use, accessibility, authors’ rights, user privacy, and data security. Can you provide guidance on how academic and research libraries can resist contracts with non-disclosure clauses and other conditions that can work against these priorities?