The Will Rogers Library has developed the following policies and procedures to ensure the smooth operation of all Library services and facilities:
The Oklahoma Department of Libraries requires the Will Rogers Library to post the State and Municipal regulations and statutes that we follow. View the following regulations and statutes:
The Will Rogers Library strives to protect the privacy and confidentiality of all library users. The library supports and complies with all applicable Oklahoma Law, including without limitation the Oklahoma Open Records Act-Title 51, Oklahoma Statutes §§ 24A.1 et seq., and the Oklahoma Library Code-Title 65, Oklahoma Statutes, § 1-105 regarding confidentiality and disclosure of library records, which exempts certain records from Oklahoma Open Records Law, as follows:
Oklahoma Library Code-Title 65, Oklahoma Statutes, § 1-105
Any library which is in whole or in part supported by public funds including but not limited to public, academic, school or special libraries, and having records indicating which of its documents or other materials, regardless of format, have been loaned to or used by an identifiable individual or group shall not disclose such records to any person except to:
Persons acting within the scope of their duties in the administration of the library;
Persons authorized to inspect such records, in writing, by the individual or group; or
By order of a court of law.
The requirements of this section shall not prohibit middle and elementary school libraries from maintaining a system of records that identifies the individual or group to whom library materials have been loaned even if such system permits a determination, independent of any disclosure of such information by the library, that documents or materials have been loaned to an individual or group.
All library records relating to an individual patron’s use of the library and its resources are confidential. These records may be consulted by library staff and used in the course of carrying out library operations, but will not be disclosed to others except upon request or written consent of the specific library user, their legal guardian if applicable, or pursuant to court order.
Neither the circulation nor registration records of the Will Rogers Library shall be made available to any third party nor any law enforcement agency of a local, state, or federal government except when a court order, issued by or through a court of competent jurisdiction, is presented to the library by the law enforcement agency or other person seeking the records and verified by the City of Claremore’s legal counsel.
The Director of the Will Rogers Library is designated as the individual responsible for handling any third party request for public records or for patron information, including those from law enforcement officers. In the event the Director is not available, the Assistant Director will handle the request. The Director may confer with the City of Claremore’s legal counsel before determining the appropriate response to any request for records. No other staff member or volunteer shall respond to a request for library records or disclose information about a library user to any third party, including a law enforcement agency, unless specifically authorized to do so by the Director.
Gathering of Patron Information
The Will Rogers Library gathers and retains personal identification information to create records necessary to the course of conducting library transactions, including the following:
Information required to register for a library card or utilize the library’s services (e.g. name, address, telephone number, birth date, gender, optional email address, library account number, and similar information for the responsible party if applicable)
Records of materials currently checked out
Current and historical records of charges owed, and payments made
Requests for interlibrary loan through the initialization and completion of said loan
Sign up information for library classes or programs, including name, address and phone number
Contact information for responsible parties reserving the library’s multipurpose room
Library staff may access personal identification information and other data maintained in the library’s records solely for the purpose of conducting library business. No information regarding materials checked out and returned by their due date without charges is maintained within the patron record. Personally identifiable information and circulation records will be kept otherwise confidential, and will not be sold, licensed, or disclosed to any third party except those working as agents under contract to the library.
No patron information, including information relating to fines and fees owed, will be given to any party other than the patron. A patron may allow or disallow immediate family members to receive this information for the express purpose of paying fines and/or fees incurred on their account on their behalf by indicating this preference on the library card application.
Registration and circulation records are kept until a patron is confirmed to be deceased, or a patron in good standing notifies the library staff they wish to have their account cancelled, and verifies their identity in doing so. No account with an outstanding fine balance will be deleted merely on patron request.
User Responsibility & Access to Personal Data
Library patrons may view their personally identifiable information at any time by logging in to their account online using their library card and PIN, or through a library staff member at the circulation desk after verifying their identity. While the library staff will strive to confirm the accuracy of all patrons’ personally identifiable information annually upon renewal of their library card, it is ultimately the responsibility of the patron to keep their personal information accurate and up-to-date, and notify the library of any changes.
Parents & Children
The Will Rogers Library respects the privacy and confidentiality of all library users, regardless of age; yet recognizes that as the legal and financially responsible party, parents and legal guardians may have just cause to access information regarding their children’s account. Parents or guardians of a child under age 18 who wish to obtain access to their child’s library records must provide the child’s library card or card number and verify their own identity.
Illegal Activity is Prohibited, Not Protected
Be advised that all library users are expected to conduct only legal activity while using library services and resources, including use of computers and the Internet. Nothing in this privacy statement prevents the library from exercising its right to enforce all library policies, protect facilities, network and equipment from harm, or prevent the use of library facilities and equipment for illegal purposes. The library can electronically monitor public computers and external access to its network and reserves the right to do so when a violation of law or library policy is suspected. Staff is authorized to take immediate action to protect the security of library users, staff, facilities, materials, computers and the network. This includes contacting law enforcement authorities and providing information that may identify the individual(s) perpetrating or suspected of perpetrating a violation.
3rd Party Security
The Will Rogers Library encourages the use of the library’s website as a way to explore and utilize the wide variety of resources and services offered to patrons. While most pages are publicly accessible, certain services and information offered online may only be fully utilized by patrons of the Will Rogers Library with accounts in good standing. When it is necessary for the Library to identify users, it is our goal to gather and/or transmit only the minimum information necessary to complete the transaction. After registering for a library account, the account number and customizable PIN alone may be used to access many of the online services and resources, such as the online account pages or the licensed databases.
The Will Rogers Library website offers links to other sites and services that are not contained nor controlled within the Library’s online environment. When the Library contracts with vendors for digital resources, users are encouraged to read the privacy statements at those vendor’s sites to learn of their privacy practices, as the practices of these external sites are not under the control of the Library. Similarly, users may choose to utilize the services of RSS feeds from the library catalog, to receive email or text notices, or similar convenience services that send personal information related to library usage via public communications networks and/or personal accounts. The library is not able to protect the privacy of this information once it is outside of the library’s control.
Patron information will never be given, leased or sold to any external entity for marketing or research purposes.