Knowledge Base: Library Help

It is considered a library’s due diligence to ensure patron account information is secured, under FOIP.

Including complete birth date information is a VITAL element of ensuring our patrons' account information is kept secure in our system. Overlooking this component is a common but major privacy risk. When a patron asks to checkout without their card, it is important to check ID, or ask verifying questions in order to ensure the correct account is being accessed by someone with a right to access it-- namely, the account holder.  Remember, addresses and phone numbers change but a person's birth date stays the same.

Here is a good example of the risk we are trying to mitigate: There are at least 3 Jessica Morrises in Alberta, and another two in Saskatchewan. The first time I (Jessie Morris) ordered something delivered by mail in my new community, the post office happily handed it over to a completely different Jessie Morris, without any kind of ID verification. My package was opened and my private information shared with a complete stranger. My privacy was violated and I was inconvenienced by having to track down my missing package. If this had happened with my library account, it could have been much worse. Thousands of dollars worth of lost items might have been accrued under my name, disrupting my access to the library, my reputation, my personal information, and even my credit rating could have affected. Patron account privacy is a serious responsibility, and one we can't administer properly without collecting information appropriately.

As the stewards of public funding, and under FOIP, we want to avoid items being checked to the wrong account, or account information being shared with the wrong person.  Because so many of our patrons wander from one location to another, we include identifying personal information in the account record, (specifically the full name and birth date) to prevent someone in another location from accessing (either mistakenly, or through mal-intent) that person’s account. It is a common matter of circulation policy to record patron birth date information, both for their own security, and as a matter of library accountability.   So, I HIGHLY recommend always collecting, and also actively updating all library memberships with accurate birth date information (this includes the year!) as part of your customer account management procedures, doing so can help to prevent issues like this from occurring.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to your library consultant.