by Helen R. Adams, April 2007

Library media specialists have the responsibility, both legally and ethically, to protect the privacy and confidentiality of their patrons, no matter their ages. Protecting student privacy begins with knowing state library records law and how it relates to school library records. The next step is recognizing the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the 1982 Board of Education, Island Trees School District v. Pico decision that states minors have a First Amendment right to receive information and ideas (Hudson). While intellectual freedom principles protect access to information, there is a corollary concept stating that minors have the right to use resources and library services free from scrutiny. When we allow middle and high school students to read, research, and check out materials on a wide range of topics without comment as well as share that information with others, we are honoring the twin precepts of privacy and confidentiality in libraries.

"It is the responsibility of the library media specialist to create an atmosphere where students may seek and use information without fear someone will question their reason or right to information" (Adams, 109). There may be topics that teenagers want information about but do not feel comfortable asking their parents. Consequently, the library media center may provide the ONLY source for accurate information, and a trusted library media specialist may be one individual they can turn to when researching sensitive topics. Any reference question brings a weighty responsibility on the part of the library media specialist to abide by the ALA Code of Ethics, III, that 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." It is important to remember that just because a student asks for information on abortion, teen pregnancy, drugs and drug use, or some other social issue does not mean that he or she is pregnant, using drugs, or engaged in other risky behavior. Equally sensitive topics may be sought for a school assignment for personal reasons. As library media specialists, we should respect our students' right to privacy and not ask why the information is needed.

On the other hand, there may be times when a library media specialist must apply common sense rather than the ALA policy and ethics statements because of a concern for the student's welfare. Just as educators are required to report cases of child abuse, there are times when concern for a student may move the library media specialist to seek the advice of another school professional bound by confidentiality such as a guidance counselor. Intervening to potentially save the life of a student transcends student privacy.

In addition to protecting the right of privacy to seek information, it is the library media specialist's responsibility to protect students' right of privacy when checking out materials or inquiring about materials. Comments on what is being checked out and why it is being checked out should be curtailed. The same advice applies to interlibrary loan and reserve requests. Library clerks, student workers, and parent volunteers should be trained to respect the privacy of patrons and should not be allowed to casually review library circulation records.

Because there are so many physical, intellectual, and emotional changes for students during the middle and high school years, a sense of responsibility is not yet well developed. There are ways, however, that the library media specialist can help students return materials in a timely fashion. Giving quiet oral reminders when students are using the library media center is a first step. Printed notices, folded and stapled with the student's name at the top, delivered to a homeroom teacher are another. Some schools use a quarterly reward system to encourage adolescents to work toward improving grades and acting responsibly. Returning overdue materials can also become part of the criteria for gaining participation in a special activity. A middle school library media specialist recently told me that this is a very positive way to encourage responsibility, and few books remain unreturned by the end of the year. In some intractable cases, letters may need to be sent to parents requesting return of books, noting the cost of the item(s), and contact information for the library media specialist.

While students in middle and high school have developed a desire for privacy, they do not yet comprehend how to protect their personal information. In addition to protecting minors' rights to privacy in a library setting, the library media specialist should teach students how to guard their own privacy in their physical daily lives as well as online. This instruction may be a part of the information and technology literacy curriculum.

Age does have some place in how library media specialists extend privacy to student patrons, but student First Amendment rights, the Library Bill of Rights, the ALA Code of Ethics, and other policy statements tell us that granting privacy to students is the right thing to do. As middle and high school students grow and mature, providing scrutiny free access to information and keeping their interests and intellectual pursuits confidential is a matter of keeping faith with them as well as honoring our professional ethical codes.

References

Adams, Helen R., Robert Bocher, Carol Gordon, and Elizabeth Barry-Kessler. Privacy in the 21st Century: Issues for Public, School, and Academic Libraries. Libraries Unlimited, 2005.

American Library Association. "Code of Ethics of the American Library Association." http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/ethics.html (accessed December 2, 2006).

Hudson, David L., Jr. "Book Censorship." First Amendment Center.org. http://www.firstamend-mentcenter.org/ /speech/studentexpression/topic.aspx?topic=book_censorship (accessed December 2, 2006).