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LMS Policies

• Borrowing Policies Regarding DVDs/Videos and the Booking of Equipment for Classes
• Borrowing Priveleges
• Checking Out Reference Materials
• Circulation Loan Periods, Renewals, and Fines
• Confidentiality of Library Records
• Copyright
• Food & Drink Policy
• Library and Media Services for KSU Alumni
• Library Classroom Policy -- Non-University Use
• Library Classroom Policy -- University Use
• Library Workstations - Acceptable Use
• May 4th Resource Room -- Policy and Use Guidelines
• Policy on Copying Multimedia Resources for Course Reserve
• Replacement Policy for Lost KentLINK and OhioLINK Items
• Research Carrels
• Service Philosophy
• Services for Patrons with Disabilities - Main Library
• Student Multimedia Studio Policies and Procedures

Confidentiality of Library Records

Background

The U.S.A. Patriot Act, passed on October 26, 2001, significantly expands the authority of law enforcement officers to gain access to business records, medical records, educational records and library records, including stored electronic data and communications. Confidentiality of library records is a basic principle of librarianship and many states, including Ohio, have laws protecting the confidentiality of such records (Ohio Revised Code § 149.432 "Release of library record or patron information"). The following staff directive is intended to insure compliance with the law while also insuring maximum confidentiality.

Kent State University Library Rule

Library records ¹ should not be released or made available in any format to a law enforcement officer or any other person unless a court order (e.g. a subpoena or a search warrant) has been entered by a court of competent jurisdiction after a showing of good cause by the law enforcement agency or person seeking the records.

Process for Responding to Request for Confidential Library Records

• All requests for library records should be referred to the Dean of Libraries and Media Services, the custodian of library records.
• In the Dean's absence, the request should be referred to University Counsel.
• Any staff member approached by a law enforcement agent or any other person requesting library records should immediately refer the individual to the Dean.
• If the request is made in the form of a search warrant (which is executable immediately), indicate to the agent that the search warrant must be served to the Dean before a search of library records can be initiated.

¹ The Ohio Revised Code defines a library record as: "a record in any form that is maintained by a library and that contains any of the following type of information:

• Information that the library requires an individual to provide in order to be eligible to use library services or borrow materials.
• Information that is provided by an individual to assist a library staff member to answer a specific question or provide information on a particular subject."

In specific terms, a library record includes: patron records, acquisition records, and ILL requests. E-mail, verbal comments, and printed reports could also fit the definition of library record if made or provided for the purposes identified above.

Reviewed by University Council
Approved by Libraries & Media Services Council 8/7/2002

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