Contact Us

Office for Intellectual Freedom

American Library Association
50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 280-4221
(800) 545-2433 x4221 toll-free
(312) 280-4227 fax
Email oif@ala.org

Twitter twitter.com/privacyala

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/chooseprivacyeveryday

Media Contact

Macey Morales, Media Relations Manager, 312-280-4393, mmorales@ala.org

Balancing Privacy and Usability Stacy Tomaszewski
It’s possible to balance privacy and usability successfully in a public library setting. It takes careful selection, communication, and education.
Foundations of American Privacy Jill Anderson
Modern American ideas about privacy are influenced by the first legal article arguing for a right to privacy. How did this article shape privacy law and concepts?
Working Privacy into Practice Virginia Dressler
This post will address incorporating privacy review into digital projects.
Guidelines on Contact Tracing, Health Checks, and Library Users’ Privacy Erin Berman
The right to privacy is one of the foundations upon which our libraries are built. Privacy is one of the key reasons libraries are such a trusted part of every community. In a world that thrives on surveillance and data mining, libraries provide a safe place for users of all ages to seek out information free from unreasonable intrusion into or surveillance of their use. As libraries across the world have shut their doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we face the challenge of upholding our commitment to not monitor, track, or profile an individual’s library use beyond our operational needs.
The Privacy Perils of Contact Tracing in Libraries OIF staff
As communities struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic, libraries are faced with the decision to institute contact tracing, monitoring who comes into the library and restricting access to those who don’t provide their personal information. Libraries should only perform contact tracing when mandated by public health or local officials. If your library is required to perform contact tracing there are specific ways that you can go about it that minimize the risks to users.