Privacy policies tell library users the following:
- What data is collected about them?
- What are their data rights?
- How is that data is used, shared, stored, and deleted?
- Who has access to their user information, including third parties?
- These policies also direct users to vendor privacy policies.
Well-written privacy policies give users clarity on how the library and its vendors handle their personal information. Well-written privacy policies inform them about the laws that govern its use and disclosure. All privacy policies should be vetted by a library’s governance and approved by legal council.
Resources
Use these resources to understand third-party privacy policies. Gain the skills to write your own library privacy policy.
Field Guide
- Privacy Policies Field Guide (coming fall 2021)
Sample Privacy Policies
- Public Library Privacy Policies
- Academic Library Privacy Policies
Additional Resources
- Library Freedom Project Privacy Policy Template
- A Practical Guide to Privacy in Libraries by Paul Pedley
- Santa Cruz Public Library GitHub: Display privacy information from vendors.
- Cornell privacy policy web archiving collection