I. Policy Information

Policy Title: UIS Library Privacy Policy
Policy Owner: UIS Library User Services Department
Responsible Official: Program Coordinator Patron Services
Approved by: UIS Library Leadership Team
Date Approved: 9/25/24
Effective Date: 9/25/24
Targeted Review Date: April 2026
Contact: questions@uis.libanswers.com
Related Policies:

II. Scope

The Policy applies to all UIS Library users, whether patrons or members of the community. This
Policy applies to all resources regardless of format or means of delivery, as well as to all services
offered by the Library.

III. Definitions

Patrons: Library users who possess a UIS Library card, whether that be an i-card or Special
Borrowers Card.

Privacy: The right to find and access information without examination or scrutinization of the
subject matter.

Data: In this case, data refers to the variety of values, statistics, or other items of information.
These are collected in the normal course of library operations and sometimes contain personally
identifiable information.

Confidentiality: The safeguarding of personally identifiable information.

IV. Purpose

The purpose of this Policy is to articulate what data UIS Library collects, the nature of that data,
how it is used, and how it is protected.

V. Background

UIS Library treats privacy as a serious matter. It is a cornerstone of the profession to safeguard
patron information and allow private access to a variety of resources. We align our work with the
ALA’s Library Bill of Rights (2019), which states: “All people, regardless of origin, age,
background, or views, possess a right to privacy and confidentiality in their library use.” This
Policy outlines exactly how we protect this right in our institution.

VI. Statement of Policy

The UIS Library will respect the privacy and confidentiality of all users, in compliance with
federal and state laws, professional standards, and University of Illinois policy. This policy is
enacted to ensure that patron data, particularly that with personally identifiable information, is
collected and retained only for the purpose of providing services to users.

Patron data is retained for the minimum period of time needed to provide or inform services, or
in some cases, according to retention schedules. During this time, patron confidentiality is
protected by law (Library Records Confidentiality Act), and professional standards (ALA
Privacy Core Values).

The UIS Library will not grant access to library records to any agency of state, federal, or local
government unless required to do so under law or University policy. We will never share patron
data with other parties including faculty, staff, parents, students, campus security, and law
enforcement personnel, except as required by law, University policy, or as needed to deliver
services.

The patron data that we retain includes:

Circulation Patron Records

These records include full name, address, email, phone number (if provided by patron), UIN,
library barcode, fines/fees, and active loans from UIS and I-Share institutions. These records do
not retain loan information after the material is returned, except in the case of related fees. This
information is only retained while the patron’s account is active. Once the account has expired,
patron records are purged. This is done on an annual basis.

In addition, we may collect library circulation statistics which help inform our collection
development and services. These statistics are anonymized daily, wiping all personally
identifiable information.

All circulation records are hosted on Alma, by Ex Libris. For more information on what data they
retain and how it is protected, please see their privacy policy.

Ticket and Chat Transcripts

These records include information voluntarily given by patrons. This may include: full name,
email, phone number, UIN, library barcode, fines/fees, active loans from UIS and I-Share
institutions, and online reference transcripts. These records are maintained for one year, retaining
all personal info. Chat transcripts are automatically purged and tickets are manually purged.
Reference statistics which have no or minimal personally identifiable information are retained to
help inform and improve services

All LibAnswers tickets and chats are hosted by Springshare. For more information on what data
they retain and how it is protected, please see their privacy policy.

Survey and Form Responses

These records include information voluntarily given by patrons. This may include: full name,
email, phone number, UIN, library barcode, fines/fees, active loans from UIS, material
suggestions, and services feedback. These records are maintained for one year, retaining all
personal info. Then form and survey responses are manually purged. Service and circulation
statistics which have no or minimal personally identifiable information are retained to help
inform and improve services.

All LibWizard surveys and forms are hosted by Springshare. For more information on what data
they retain and how it is protected, please see their privacy policy.

Interlibrary Loan Records

These records may include full name, address, email, phone number, UIN, library barcode, and
active loans from Interlibrary loan institutions. Records are stored on OCLC servers and not
retained locally. Inactive loan records and user accounts are purged every 5 years.
Interlibrary loan records are hosted by OCLC. For more information on what data they retain and
how it is protected, please see their privacy policy.

Computer Logs and WiFi Reports

These records include netID along with date, time, and duration of use. This data is stored by
University Information Technology Services. For more information on their approach to privacy,
please see their web privacy policy.

EZ Proxy Logs

These records include log-in times and IP addresses. This data is stored by OCLC, and is purged
every 180 days. For more information on what data they retain and how it is protected, please see
their privacy policy.

Emails

Library staff emails may contain patron information, based on the service being provided. This
usually only includes: full name, email, library barcode, and any related loans and fees. This
information is only used to provide services by UIS Library employees. All emails are stored
according to University of Illinois policy. It is important to note that any university
correspondence is subject to FOIA requests, including emails containing patron information.