Cites the importance of having a state law, knowing what it says, and having a library policy statement regarding the confidentiality of patron records. Discussion covers writing and implementing a policy, the role of automation, existing laws, library records defined, exceptions to confidentiality, and legal liability. Thirty-seven references are…

Issues concerning the confidentiality of library-patron records in the age of electronics are explored. Confidentiality of patron records is a relatively new concept for libraries and was first introduced in the 1938 Code of Ethics of the American Library Association (ALA). Librarians have worked on a state-by-state basis to protect library…