VT Library Confidentiality Act Panel

Vermont Law Review Symposium
EXAMINING OUR PRIORITIES: BALANCING NATIONAL SECURITY WITH OTHER FUNDAMENTAL VALUES
AT THE JONATHAN B CHASE COMMUNITY CENTER, VT LAW SCHOOL

OCTOBER 17, 2008

This symposium,sponsored by the Vermont Law Review, features keynote speaker Louis Fisher, constitutional law scholar with the Library of Congress and an expert in national security issues who is often called upon to testify before Congress. His newest book, 9/11 and the Constitution,  was released in August. Expert panels will discuss a variety of topics including immigration, environmental law, protecting library records, and the right to dissent

8:30 OPENING REMARKS by Geoffrey Shields

8: 45 – Vermont Library Patron’s Confidentiality Act
Gail Weymouth, Chairwoman of the VT Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee
Jane Woldow, Vermont Law School Librarian
Retta Dunlop, Executive Director of Vermonters for Better EducationRead more

Attorney General’s opinion and other new statute guidelines.(revised)

What follows is the gist of the Attorney General’s opinion on the new confidentiality statute.

  1. Public libraries must keep records of patrons 16 or older confidential unless the patron waives that right.
  2. Public libraries have “limited discretion” expanding the scope of confidentiality of library records. The opinion says they must disclose the records of patrons under 16 if requested by parents.
  3. Read more

New Confidentiality Statute

Librarians have many questions about the new Confidentiality Statute that becomes effective July 1, 2008.

State Librarian, Sybil McShane asked the Attorney General to review the law in reference to existing statutes and in consideration of some of the questions we have. Once the AG’s office has reported back we will provide more specific guidelines for implementation to all VLA members, VT Libraries and Trustees. VLAIFC will offer policy writing workshops throughout the state for the above mentioned groups in the near future.

An updated sample public library privacy and confidentiality policy is available on the website as part of the Intellectual Freedom Toolkit. It can also be found at www.sherburnelibrary.org.

Keep watching the VLA website for more information.

Gail Weymouth

VLAIFC chair

802 422 9765