Library Policies

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DOCUMENT TITLE	DATE	DOCUMENT LINK
A6 General: Privacy and Access to Information	2011-02-19	DOWNLOAD PDF
A8 General: Conduct in the Library	2014-04-22	DOWNLOAD PDF
C1 Membership: General	2014-04-22	DOWNLOAD PDF
C2 Membership: New Westminster Residents	2012-03-09	DOWNLOAD PDF
C3 Membership: Non-New Westminster Residents	2014-04-22	DOWNLOAD PDF
D4 Library Services: Public Access to Computers & Internet	2011-08-19	DOWNLOAD PDF
D7 Library Services: Public Meeting Rooms	2024-03-12	DOWNLOAD PDF
D8 Library Services: Bulletin Board & Distribution of Free Publications	2014-05-27	DOWNLOAD PDF
D9 Library Services: Displays & Exhibits	2014-05-27	DOWNLOAD PDF
F1 Collection & Development: General	2011-08-19	DOWNLOAD PDF
G1 Gifts & Donation: Commercial & Charitable Soliciting in the Library	2013-04-09	DOWNLOAD PDF
G2 Gifts & Donation: Donation to the Collection	2011-08-19	DOWNLOAD PDF
G3 Gifts & Donation: General – Art Donation	2013-04-09	DOWNLOAD PDF
G4 Gifts & Donation: Book Sales	2011-08-19	DOWNLOAD PDF

GENERAL PRIVACY POLICY

A. Introduction

The New Westminster Public Library is committed to protecting the privacy of its users. Any personal information collected, used or disclosed by the Library is in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA).

B. What is personal information?

Personal information is defined by FOIPPA as information about an identifiable person. Some examples of personal information are name, age, home address, phone number, email address, IP address (a computer’s address), identification numbers, reading choices and age. FOIPPA’s definition of personal information does not include work contact information, which is information that would allow a person to be contacted at a place of business, such as the person’s name, title, business address, business phone number, and business email address.

C. Collection of personal information

When collecting personal information from you, the New Westminster Public Library will advise you of the purpose for collecting it and the legal authority for doing so. We will also provide you with contact information of the library’s FOI/Privacy Officer, who can answer your questions regarding the collection.

The following are some example of purposes for which the Library may collect your personal information:

issuing library cards
identifying materials currently on loan
placing and tracking interlibrary loans
identifying and recording overdue materials
placing and tracking materials on hold
providing answers to reference questions
faxing materials
providing information about library programmes and services
providing Home Service for patrons with special needs
recording book suggestions
recording comments or suggestions
general library operations
library fundraising

Patrons who do not wish to be contacted about library services and programmes or for fundraising purposes may choose to opt-out.

D. How is personal information used?

The New Westminster Public Library will only use your personal information for the purposes for which it was originally collected or in a manner that is consistent with those purposes. The library will only use your personal information for another purpose if you explicitly consent to the new purpose, or use is authorized under FOIPPA or is otherwise required by law.

E. When is personal information disclosed?

The New Westminster Public Library does not sell or rent personal information. Personal information is disclosed only in accordance with FOIPPA or as otherwise required by law.

Where other organizations require personal information in order to provide services on behalf of the library, the New Westminster Public Library ensures that these organizations treat the personal information in compliance with FOIPPA and the library’s privacy policies.
Examples of where personal information may be disclosed include:

when a patron explicitly consents to the disclosure;
to a collection agency for the purpose of collecting a debt owed to the Library
for law enforcement purposes, such as where required by a subpoena, warrant or other order;
where there are compelling health and safety concerns; or
to contact a person’s next of kin if that person is injured, becomes ill or dies while visiting the library.

F. How is personal information kept secure?

The New Westminster Public Library uses reasonable security measures to protect against risks such as unauthorized collection, access, use, disclosure or disposal.
Security measures include physical, technological and operational safeguards that are appropriate to the nature and format of the personal information.

G. How long is personal information kept?

How long the New Westminster Public Library keeps your personal information depends on the purpose for which the information was collected.

If the Library uses your personal information to make a decision that affects you, we must keep that information for at least one year so that you have an opportunity to access it. Otherwise, the library will keep personal information only for the length of time necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected. Personal information is securely destroyed when it is no longer needed.

H. Accuracy of personal information

The New Westminster Public Library will endeavour to ensure the personal information is as accurate, complete and up-to-date as possible.

I. How can I access or correct my personal information?

You have a right to request access to personal information held by the New Westminster Public Library. To do so, you may submit a written request to New Westminster Public Library’s FOI/Privacy Officer (see contact information below). Your request should provide enough detail to enable a library employee to find the personal information (e.g. personal information provided with your library card application).

You also have a right to request that your personal information as recorded by the New Westminster Public Library be corrected if you believe it is incorrect. You may do so by submitting your request in writing to the FOI/Privacy Officer (see contact information below).

J. Children’s personal information

Children have the same rights as adults with respect to their personal information under FOIPPA. Where a child is “incapable” of exercising her right to access, correct or consent to the disclosure of his/her personal information, the child’s parent or guardian may do so on her behalf.

The New Westminster Public Library assumes that children 12 years and older are generally capable of exercising their own rights for policy purposes. However, the library may treat a request on an individual basis where a child or parent/guardian does not believe the guideline age is appropriate in their circumstances.

K. Changes to this Privacy Policy

New Westminster Public Library’s practices and policies are reviewed from time to time. This policy will be updated to reflect the changes.

L. Who can I contact about the New Westminster Public Library’s privacy policies?

If you have any questions or concerns about this policy or how the New Westminster Public Library treats your personal information, you may contact our FOI/Privacy Officer:

Carolyn Caseñas
Chief Librarian
New Westminster Public Library
716 6th Avenue
New Westminster BC V3M 2B3

ccasenas@nwpl.ca

If you are not satisfied with how your complaint was handled by the New Westminster Public Library, you have the right to complain to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.

Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner
for British Columbia
PO Box 9038, Stn. Prov. Govt.
Victoria, B.C. V8W 9A4
Tel: 250.387.5629 (Victoria)
Toll free: Call Enquiry B.C. at 604.660.2421 (Vancouver) or 1.800.663.7367 (elsewhere in B.C.) and request a transfer to 250.387.5629.
Email: info@oipc.bc.ca
Website: www.oipc.bc.ca

Passed by the Board May 15, 2007

WEBSITE PRIVACY POLICY

A. Introduction

New Westminster Public Library is committed to protecting the privacy of its users. Any personal information collected, used or disclosed by the New Westminster Public Library is in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA).

B. What is personal information?

C. Information automatically collected when visiting our site

Some information is automatically collected by our server when you browse our website, including

the domain name and IP address of the computer station you are using;
your browser and operating system;
the screen resolution;
the date and time you accessed the site;
what pages you visited; and
what website you visited from, if applicable.

We collect this information to help make our site more useful by assessing our web services and system performance, as well as to learn how many people are visiting the site and how they are using it. No attempt is made to use this information to identify visitors, unless it is necessary for an investigation or it is required by law.

D. Personal information collected via email and web forms

Your personal information is collected by the New Westminster Public Library when you fill-in a library web form or send an email, such as when you ask a reference question, or offer book suggestions.

Personal information you send to us by email or when using our web forms will only be used by authorized staff for the purpose for which it was collected or for a consistent purpose, unless you consent otherwise, or it is authorized or required by law.

Information you send to the New Westminster Public Library using our web forms is encrypted so that it is protected from a third party accessing it in transit. However, email messages sent over the internet are not secure and may be read by a third party who intercepts the communication. If you are concerned about sending your personal information over email, we suggest you either phone or fax us instead.

E. Security

New Westminster Public Library uses reasonable security measures to protect against risks such as unauthorized access, collection, use, disclosure or disposal of personal information.

These security measures protect personal information once it reaches our server. The New Westminster Public Library’s security cannot protect information while it is in transit over the internet, unless the information is collected by one of our secure online web forms. Information sent to the Library in email messages is not secure.

F. Links to other sites

The New Westminster Public Library strives to provide a wealth of resources from our website, including links to sites outside of the library, such as encyclopedias, reference databases, and private organizations.

The New Westminster Public Library has no control over the management of these web sites and we are not responsible for their privacy policies. You are encouraged to review those policies before using the service or providing any personal information.

G. How long is personal information kept?

How long the New Westminster Public Library keeps your personal information depends on the nature of the service for which the information was collected.
If the Library uses your personal information to make a decision that affects you, we must keep that information for at least one year so that you have an opportunity to access it. Otherwise, we keep it for the length of time necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected. Personal information is securely destroyed when it is no longer needed.

H. Disclosure of personal information

The New Westminster Public Library does not sell or rent personal information. Personal information is disclosed only in accordance with FOIPPA or as required by law.

I. Accuracy of personal information

The New Westminster Public Library will endeavour to ensure the personal information is as accurate, complete and up-to-date as possible.

J. How can I access or correct my personal information?

To access your personal information held by the New Westminster Public Library,
submit a written request to the Library’s FOI/Privacy Officer (see contact information below). Your request should provide enough detail to enable a library employee to find the personal information.

You may request that the personal information about you held by the New
Westminster Public Library be corrected if you believe it is incorrect. You may do so by submitting your request in writing to the FOI/Privacy Officer (see contact information below).

K. Changes to this Privacy Policy

New Westminster Public Library’s practices and policies are reviewed from time to time. Any changes to these policies will be posted on the Library’s web site.

L. Who can I contact about New Westminster Public Library’s privacy policies?

If you have any questions or concerns about this policy or how the New Westminster Public Library treats your personal information, you may contact our FOI/Privacy Officer.

Carolyn Caseñas
Chief Librarian
New Westminster Public Library
716 6th Avenue
New Westminster BC V3M 2B3

ccasenas@nwpl.ca

If you are not satisfied with how your complaint was handled by the New Westminster Public Library, you have the right to complain to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.

M. Links

The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA) and its Regulations can be accessed from the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner’s website [OIPC BC].

Passed by the Board May 15, 2007

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