Privacy & Confidentiality Policy

FOR USERS OF newcanaannewlibrary.org

Policy Statement

The New Canaan Library is committed to protecting the privacy of the personal information that is provided to the Library by its members and other users (collectively, "users") to access its website, www.newcanaannewlibrary.org (the "New Library Site"), and to prevent such information's unauthorized disclosure. This commitment is in keeping with the American Library Association's Code of Ethics and Connecticut General Statutes Section 11-25(b), which provide as follows:

ALA Code of Ethics states: [W]e protect each library user's right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted.

CGS §11-25(b) states in part: (1) [R]ecords maintained by libraries that can be used to identify any library user, or link any user to a library transaction, regardless of format, shall be kept confidential, except that the records may be disclosed to officers, employees and agents of the library, as necessary for operation of the library.

(2) Information contained in such records shall not be released to any third party, except (A) pursuant to a court order, or (B) with the written permission of the library user whose personal information is contained in the records.

(4) No provision of this subsection shall be construed to prevent a library from publishing or making available to the public statistical reports regarding library registration and use of library materials, if such reports do not contain personally identifying information.

Users should be aware that any library record or other information collected by the Library may be subject to disclosure pursuant to a court order or as may otherwise be required by applicable law.

 

User Information Collected

The Library collects and maintains only that personally identifiable information on its users who "opt in" to receive information about the Library's new building and related Capital Campaign through the New Library Site. Information collected may include name, address, email and telephone number. The Library will not collect or retain such information without the user's consent. Where such consent is given, the Library will keep such information confidential and will not sell, license or disclose it to a third party, except on a confidential basis to a third party working under contract to the Library or unless required by law.

 

Third Party Services

The Library uses the third party service, Squarespace, to host the New Library Site, which provides in Section 12 of its Privacy Policy that the Library, not Squarespace, will be responsible for what it does with the personal information collected directly or through Squarespace on the users of the New Library Site.

Accordingly, the Library confirms that it will keep personally identifiable information furnished by users accessing the New Library Site confidential as provided in this Policy. Specifically, the Library will collect the name, email and phone number of those users who voluntarily subscribe through the New Library Site to receive e-newsletters on the new library building. The Library disseminates these e-newsletters through Constant Contact, a separate third party service and permission-based email marketing platform. Users are directed to the Privacy Notice posted online by The Endurance International Group, Inc., the owner of the Constant Contact brand, to better understand what Constant Contact does with their personal information. Users can "opt out" of receiving these e-newsletters at any time by clicking "unsubscribe" in the footer section of such e-newsletter.

In addition users interested in donating to the Capital Campaign for the new library can provide their name, email and phone number to be contacted by the Library's Director of Development, Ellen Crovatto.

 

Protection of Personal Information

The Library employs reasonable managerial, technical and physical measures to safeguard the confidentiality and security of the personal information collected from users. Notwithstanding such safeguards, no assurance can be given that these measures will be adequate to maintain the privacy of a user's personal information, particularly in view of the open nature of the Internet and World Wide Web.

Users should consult the Library's Internet and Computer Use Policy for additional information on the privacy of their personal information when using the Library's computers and public wireless network.

 

Requests for Personal Information

The Library's Executive Director, or the person duly appointed in writing by the Executive Director or the Board of Trustees, shall be responsible for handling all law enforcement or similar requests for confidential information on a user. In the event of the receipt of such a request, the Executive Director, or duly appointed designee, as appropriate, shall consult with legal counsel to determine whether such request requires compliance and based on such determination, to formulate an appropriate response. Library staff shall refer all such law enforcement or similar inquiries to the Executive Director, or such duly appointed designee, and shall not release any confidential information until authorized by the Executive Director or such designee.

Users should be aware that legislation, including The USA PATRIOT Act, may increase the likelihood that the Library will be obligated to release confidential information on a user to governmental authorities without regard to the Library's privacy policies.

 

Amendment

The Library reserves the right to amend this Policy at any time. This Policy, as it may be amended, will be posted on the Library's website upon adoption.

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Date approved: September 2019

Next review date: September 2021