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Privacy
Guidelines for
British Columbia Public Libraries
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The purpose of this sample policy
This sample website privacy policy was written to
help libraries develop their own general privacy policies. Care should
be taken to ensure that your policy accurately reflects the personal
information practices of your own library.
Each library is responsible for its own compliance
with FOIPPA and should use its own best judgment in discharging
its duties under FOIPPA. |
ABC Library - General Privacy
Policy
[Last reviewed: Date]
1. Introduction
ABC Library is committed to
protecting your privacy. Any personal information collected, used or
disclosed by ABC Library is in accordance with the Freedom of
Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA).
2. What is personal information?
Personal information
is defined by
FOIPPA as information about an identifiable person. Some examples of
personal information are name, age, home address, phone number, email
address, IP address (a computer’s address), identification numbers,
reading choices and age. FOIPPA’s definition of personal
information does not include work contact information , which is information that would allow a person to be
contacted at a place of business, such as the person’s name, title,
business address, business phone number, and business email address.
3. Collection of personal
information
When collecting personal
information from you, ABC Library will advise you of the purpose for
collecting it and the legal authority for doing so
. We will also provide you with contact
information of the library’s FOI/Privacy Officer, who can answer your
questions regarding the collection.
The following are some example of
purposes for which ABC Library may collect your personal information:
- issuing library cards
- identifying materials currently
on loan
- placing and tracking
inter-library loans
- identifying and recording
overdue materials
- placing and tracking materials
on hold
- providing answers to reference
questions
- faxing materials
- providing information about
library programs and services
- providing Home Service for
patrons with special needs
- recording book suggestions
- recording comments or
suggestions
- general library operations
- library fundraising
Patrons who do not wish to be
contacted about library services and programs or for fundraising purposes
may choose to opt-out.
4. How is personal information
used?
ABC Library will only use your
personal information for the purposes for which it was originally
collected or in a manner that is consistent with those purposes. The library will
only use your personal information for different purpose if you explicitly
consent to the new purpose or the use is authorized under FOIPPA or
is otherwise required by law.
5. When is personal information
disclosed?
ABC
Library does not sell or rent personal information.
Personal information is disclosed only in accordance with FOIPPA or
as otherwise required by law.
Where other organizations require
personal information in order to provide services on behalf of the
library, ABC Library ensures that these organizations treat the personal
information in compliance with FOIPPA and the library’s privacy
policies.
Examples of where personal
information may be disclosed include:
- when a patron explicitly
consents to the disclosure;
- to a collection agency for the
purpose of collecting a debt;
- for law enforcement purposes,
such as where required by a subpoena, warrant or other order;
- where there are compelling
health and safety concerns; or
- to contact a person’s next of
kin if that person is injured, becomes ill or dies while visiting the
library.
6. How is personal information
kept secure?
ABC Library uses reasonable
security
measures to protect against risks such as unauthorized
access, collection, use, disclosure or disposal.
Security measures include
physical, technological and operational safeguards that are appropriate to
the nature and format of the personal information.
7. How long is personal
information kept?
How long ABC Library keeps your
personal information depends on the purpose for which the information was
collected.
If ABC Library uses your personal
information to make a decision that affects you, we must keep that
information for at least one year so that you have an opportunity to
access it. Otherwise, the library will keep personal information only for
the length of time necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was
collected. Personal information is securely destroyed when it is no longer
needed.
8. Accuracy of personal
information
ABC Library will endeavour to
ensure the personal information is as accurate, complete and up-to-date as
necessary.
9. How can I access
or correct
my personal information?
You have a right to request access
to personal information held by ABC Library. To do so, you may submit a
written request to ABC Library’s FOI/Privacy Officer (see contact
information below). Your request should provide enough detail to enable a
library employee to find the personal information (e.g. personal
information I provided when I applied for a library card).
You also have a right to request
that your personal information about you by ABC Library be corrected if
you believe it is incorrect. You may do so by submitting your request in
writing to the FOI/Privacy Officer (see contact information below).
10. Children’s personal information
Children have the same rights as
adults with respect to their personal information under FOIPPA.
Where a child is "incapable" of exercising her right to access, correct or
consent to the disclosure of his/her personal information, the
child’s parent or guardian may do so on her behalf.
ABC Library assumes that children
12 years
are generally capable of exercising their own rights
for policy purposes. However, the library may treat a request on an
individual basis where a child or parent/guardian does not believe the
guideline age is appropriate in their circumstances.
11. Changes to this Privacy Policy
ABC Library’s practices and
policies are reviewed from time to time. This policy will be updated to
reflect the changes.
12. Who can I contact about ABC
Library’s privacy policies?
If you have any questions or
concerns about this policy or how ABC Library treats your personal
information, you may contact our FOI/Privacy Officer.
Name
Title
ABC
Library
Address
City,
B.C. Postal Code
Phone
Email
If you are not satisfied with how
your complaint was handled by ABC Library, you have the right to complain
to the Information and Privacy Commissioner.
Office
of the Information and Privacy Commissioner
for British Columbia
PO Box
9038, Stn. Prov. Govt.
Victoria,
B.C. V8W 9A4
Tel:
250.387.5629 (Victoria)
Toll
free: Call Enquiry B.C. at 604.660.2421
(Vancouver) or 1.800.663.7367 (elsewhere in B.C.) and request a transfer
to 250.387.5629.
Email:
info@oipc.bc.ca
Website: http://oipc.bc.ca
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