Privacy of Circulation Records

1.   It is the policy of the UNT Libraries that its circulation records and other records linking a library user with specific materials or services are confidential. 

2.   According to the Texas Public Information Act (Chapter 552, Section 124) records that identify “a person who requested, obtained, or used a library material or services” are confidential.  Exceptions are made only upon court order, subpoena, warrant or when it is determined that disclosure is reasonably necessary for the operation of the library and the record is not confidential under other state or federal law.

3.   To help protect library user privacy, the UNT Libraries does not keep records of checkouts by our users once the items have been returned.  The only archived records are those that involve state auditable financial issues associated with fines and lost or damaged state property (library materials)and the guidelines of the University of North Texas Records Retention Policy[i].

4.   Requests for disclosure of circulation information should be forwarded to the Assistant Dean for Facilities/Head of Access & Preservation Services or the Dean of Libraries who will contact the UNT System Office of General Counsel.  University of North Texas Policy 10.6, “Request for Information Made Under the Texas Public Information Act Effective September 1, 1997”[ii], outlines the procedures to follow when a request is made.

5.   See the American Library Association policies on the confidentiality of library records, available at their website at http://www.ala.org, for more information on library privacy issues