In adherence with RI General Laws §11-18-32, §11-49.3, and §38-2-2 sub §4(U) as well as the overall goal of the Library to better the lives of its patrons and those in the community as a whole, the Warwick Public Library is committed to protecting the confidentiality of the interest, inquiries, and personal records of all library users. Privacy is essential to free speech, free thought, and free association. By safeguarding the privacy of our patrons, the Library will ensure the continuation of the free flow of information and ideas with our community. As such, the Library will only seek to collect the personally identifiable information necessary to carry out library services. This personally identifiable information collected by staff may include the following details about our patrons.
- Name
- Home Address
- Telephone Number
- Library Card Number
- Date of Birth
- Email Address
- Circulation Records
The Library strives to collect the least amount of personally identifiable information about patrons as possible. Additionally, we avoid creating any unnecessary records.
Confidentiality extends to all records identifying information about patrons, including their borrowing records, requests for information, materials, and their loan transactions. It is also included in their use of library computers, all electronic and print resources they access, all items printed on library 3-D printers, and items related to library programs and services. The Library will keep patron records confidential and will not disclose this information except as necessary to library staff and vendors for the purpose of operation of the Library, upon consent of the patron, pursuant to a subpoena or court order, or as otherwise required by law.
The only exception to this policy is for minors. Parents or legal guardians of children under the age of 13 may have access to information on their child’s library card., Parents or guardians of thirteen- to seventeen-year-olds may have access to their child’s library record only as necessary to settle their child’s financial obligation to the Library.
In addition to personal information, the Library may collect anonymous information that will not specifically identify an individual, but will be analyzed by library staff in order to increase the quality of library services and resources. This anonymous information may include:
- Domain Names/IP Addresses
- Browser Information
- Date/Time of Online Requests
- Demographic Information
- Page Views and Click Data
Additional digital services are available through the Library’s website and app, and some require separate account creations. Any such services provided by a third-party vendor that collect additional personal identifiable information may have their own privacy policies that are posted on their websites. The Library makes every effort to ensure that third party vendors conform to the standards in this privacy policy.
The Library offers patrons access to a number of computer workstations for their own personal use. Patrons should not expect complete privacy while using these workstations as they are located in a public area of the Library that is in full view of other patrons and Library staff. However, the Library does not keep records of patrons’ browsing history or other activities that have been conducted on these computers or on personal devices through our wireless network. Once a session has ended and a patron has logged out of the computer, all data related to that session is deleted.
It should be noted that all email communication with Library staff is deemed to be public record and is subject to the requirements of the open records laws of the State of Rhode Island.