The Lunenburg Public Library is dedicated to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of our patrons. Furthermore, the library subscribes to the Code of Ethics of the American Library Association. Section III of the Code of Ethics states: We protect each library user’s right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired, or transmitted.

Your Library Record

As a CW MARS member library, we are bound by the CW MARS Privacy Policy, which reads in part: “The intellectual pursuits of individuals using library or Internet resources are considered confidential information regardless of the age of the borrower. Such records shall not be made available to any individual or agency except … as may be authorized under the authority of … federal, state, or local law….”

Under Massachusetts General Laws: “Part of the records of a public library which reveals the identity and intellectual pursuits of a person using such library shall not be a public record as defined by clause Twenty-sixth of section seven of chapter four” (Chapter 78, Section 7). Our policy extends to circulation transactions, registration records, database search records, and reference interviews.

In accordance with the law, our staff are not permitted disclose information to a cardholder’s family or friends without the card owner’s authorization. This applies to the release of information to the parents of minors when the minor has their own library card. Except in cases involving the Patriot Act, no records can be made available to any inquiries, governmental or otherwise, unless a subpoena has been served by a court of competent jurisdiction and the library administration has consulted with legal counsel to determine if it is proper to release the requested information.

Our Website

The Library website contains links to external websites not maintained by the Library. The Library is not responsible for patron privacy when visiting outside web sites. Please consult the privacy policies of those websites should there be questions regarding their use.

Emails

The Library conducts promotional campaigns to inform the community of our services. The Library at those times uses patron email or postal address for the library’s internal mailing lists. The library reserves the right to change or modify the privacy policy at any time.

Revised and approved by the Board of Trustees on September 19, 2019.