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Oakton College Library Policies

Confidentiality Policy

This privacy policy explains our users' privacy and confidentiality rights, the steps Oakton Community College Library takes to respect and protect privacy, and how we deal with personally identifiable information that we may collect from our users.

The Oakton Community College Library formally recognizes:

  1. That all records identifying the names, contact information, or I.D. number of library patrons are confidential in nature;
  2. That such records are not to be revealed to anyone other than the patron in question without either the express written permission of the patron in question or the adherence to proper legal and/or college procedures regarding required access to such information;
  3. That library employees are encouraged not to keep records with personally identifiable information, unless that information is necessary, and to destroy such records as soon as possible.
  4. That the confidentiality of patron records requires that such records should be consulted by library employees only for LEGITIMATE purposes such as locating or recalling library materials, processing overdue notices and fines, adding or deleting names to the database, resolving billing matters, or investigating violations of library circulation policies.
  5. Library employees may not view patron records for such purposes as idle curiosity, personal interest, or general monitoring.

Examples of rnformation requests that should not be honored:

  • A request for the circulation records of a faculty, student, staff or other library card holder by someone else.
  • A request by a faculty member for the identity of students who borrowed reserve items.
  • A request to review the circulation records of a student suspected of plagiarism.
  • A request to see interlibrary loan borrowing records.
  • A request for addresses, phone numbers, I.D. numbers, or other personal information contained in the borrower database.
  • A request to see a list of individuals who are not members of the university community but who have been granted library borrowing privileges.
  • A request made by someone - for example, a parent or guardian - for information such as material checked out, money owed, contact information, etc. without the student’s permission.