Intellectual Freedom and Privacy
Course
Student Privacy [6:02]
- Learn the many ways librarians are responsible for keeping student information private.
- Learn about the federal and state laws put into place to protect student educational records.
- Learn why technology needs to be considered when thinking about student privacy.
- Learn how educating others about students' privacy safeguards their library activity.
It is important for librarians to keep student information protected. This includes student checkout records and reference requests. For example, no one at your school should know what books a student has checked out except you and that student. When sending overdue notices, refrain from providing a list of students and the titles of books they have overdue. Instead, consider sending a list of student names to the teacher and encourage students to stop by the library for specifics. Finally, educators are legally mandated reporters of child abuse and suspected harm. This is important to consider when balancing student privacy and when you think something may be suspicious. In any cases of concern, be sure to speak with your administrator or the student's counselor.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, or FERPA, requires the protection of student educational records. It allows parents the right to inspect and review any of their students' educational records, and library records are part of this category. FERPA also states that in cases of health emergency or court subpoena, these records may be released. Familiarize yourself with your state's laws and policies about disclosing library records to parents and others. The American Library Association maintains a list of library privacy laws by state. These laws vary with who can access student records and when. For example, in Virginia where I live, parents can ask for and receive information about their child's library records at any time. If you are asked for student library records, it is important to know your state law and school district policies before disclosing student information. For a relevant example, check out the article in the resources section by Suzanna Panter and what she did when one of her library books was found at the scene of a crime.
Another aspect to consider when thinking about student privacy is technology. Read the privacy policy for all websites, library management systems, and vendors, to learn what information they access about students or staff. Before posting any photos of an event to your library's website or social media, be sure that you are allowed to share photos with students in them. Consider setting your circulation system to delete patron checkout information when items are returned. Finally, if your library has surveillance cameras, consider the reasons for having the cameras and whether they violate student privacy.
Ultimately, librarians have the power to protect or betray student privacy. There are instances when others in the building may want to know about a student's activity in the library. For example, when a teacher finds a library book in their classroom, they may ask which student has it checked out so they can return it. A student may want to know who has the book that they have been waiting to read. In both of these cases, the librarian should refrain from providing the information. Instead, the librarian may offer to return the book to the student or, in the second case, sharing with the student that they can't share other student's checkout information. Finally, reinforce to student workers and volunteers that all interactions with students are confidential and cannot be shared with anyone. As librarians, is up to us to keep students' trust and safeguard their library activity.
Privacy is a core value of librarians. Our students dare to dream, ask questions, and learn new things in our space. When students trust us to keep their information protected, they will view the library as a safe space to be themselves. Whether it is a list of their checkouts or the websites they have visited, students depend on us to preserve their intellectual freedom. They also expect we won't share their information with others unless we are required by law. Many actions to protect students' intellectual freedom require no financial cost. It requires us to maintain our ethics as professionals to build and keep our students' trust.
While confidentiality of patron's records is a priority for librarians and school divisions, each state has their own privacy laws. Use the resource below to reflect on your own state's privacy laws.
"State Privacy Laws Regarding Library Records." Office for Intellectual Freedom, American Library Association. http://www.ala.org/advocacy/privacyconfidentiality/privacy/stateprivacy/.
In the resource above, explore the privacy laws of your state. Then, using page 10 of the handout, reflect on the laws of your state. How do they translate to the school library? Also, consider the privacy laws of the states near yours. How are they similar? How are they different?
MLA Citation
Grover, Rachel. "Intellectual Freedom and Privacy: Library Privacy Records." School Library Connection, May 2021, schoollibraryconnection.com/Content/Course/2262943?learningModuleId=2262052&topicCenterId=2247902.
Entry ID: 2263782
Additional Resources
MLA Citation
Grover, Rachel. "Intellectual Freedom and Privacy. Student Privacy [6:02]." School Library Connection, ABC-CLIO, May 2021, schoollibraryconnection.com/Content/Course/2262943?learningModuleId=2262052&topicCenterId=2247902.
https://schoollibraryconnection.com/Content/Course/2262943?learningModuleId=2262052&topicCenterId=2247902
Entry ID: 2262943